X-Press Pearl: The 'toxic ship' that caused an environmental disaster

Earlier last month, a cargo ship carrying chemicals caught fire off the coast of Sri Lanka - leaving in its wake an environmental disaster that the island will likely have to live with for decades.

For days it stood burning off the Sri Lanka coast, plumes of thick dark smoke that could be seen from miles away. But the X-Press Pearl has now fallen silent, lying half sunken off the coast of Sri Lanka, its hull resting on the shallow ocean bed.

But though the flames have now been doused - the problems have only just begun.

Onboard the ship, there are still towers of containers stacked upon each other, many containing chemicals highly dangerous to the environment - some of these have already leaked into the water, sparking fears that it may poison marine life.

Additionally, tons of tiny plastic pellets have already washed up on local beaches nearby. And then there's the hundreds of tonnes of engine fuel sealed in the sunken hull that could also potentially leak into the sea.

Aside from the environmental threats, there are also devastating consequences for the local communities, fishermen who overnight lost their livelihoods and will likely suffer for years to come.