A cargo ship carrying chemicals that has burned for 13 straight days off Sri Lanka is now sinking, and could create a devastating oil spill

• A cargo ship that had been burning off the coast of Sri Lanka is now sinking, the government said.
• It could now cause a huge oil spill.
• It has already created a huge environmental disaster, spilling chemicals and microplastics.

A cargo ship that has been burning off the coast of Sri Lanka for almost two weeks is now sinking and could cause a huge oil spill, officials warned.

The Singapore-flagged MV X-Press Pearl, which started burning on May 20, has already spilled chemicals and microplastics, killing sea life.

Experts have already warned that it could be the country's worst-ever environmental disaster.

Now Sri Lanka's government and navy say the ship is sinking, Reuters reported.

Sri Lanka's Marine Environment Protection Authority said the ship could now create an oil spill, harming a 19-mile stretch of coastline, CNN reported.

The country's fishing minister said "emergency measures" were being taken to try and protect the Negombo Lagoon, according to CNN.

Environmentalist Dr Ajantha Perera told the BBC that the ship sinking was "the worst environmental scenario".

"With all the dangerous goods, the nitric acid and all these other things, and the oil in the ship, if it's sinking it will basically destroy the whole bottom of the sea," she said.