COLOMBO: The Russian skipper of a container ship that caught fire and burned for almost two weeks before sinking off Sri Lanka's coast has been arrested and is expected to be charged with marine pollution, police said on Monday.

Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said on Monday reportedly said that the captain was arrested from a hotel in capital Colombo, where he and other crew members were held, and will be produced before a local High Court. Rohana said the Department had earlier recorded statements from the captain and several others including the chief engineer of the vessel over the incident.

The vessel sent out a distress call while sailing close to the Colombo Port on May 20, and soon caught fire. The Sri Lankan Navy dispatched vessels to bring the fire under control.

The Marine Environment Protection Authority said that the burning of the X Press Pearl vessel had caused a massive environmental disaster as beaches from the south coast to the west coast had been damaged by debris washed ashore.

Sri Lanka's Marine Protection Environment Authority over the weekend removed approximately 1,000 metric tonnes of waste from its beaches following the disaster on board the vessel, local media reported.

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