Authorities in Mauritius have arrested the Indian captain of the Japanese ship that ran aground near Mauritius and spilled 1,000 tons of oil on the Indian Ocean island's protected coastline. Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, captain of the MV Wakashio and who is from India, was charged with "endangering safe navigation" and is in custody pending a bail hearing next week, Police inspector Sivo Coothen said Tuesday.

The ship's first officer was also charged and is being held, he said. "We are carrying out a full investigation and interviewing all the crew members," Coothen said. The Wakasio ran aground a coral reef on July 25 and after being pounded by heavy waves for several days the vessel cracked and started leaking oil on August 6. The damaged ship spilled more than 1,000 tonnes of its cargo of 4,000 tons of fuel into the turquoise waters of the Mahebourg Lagoon, one of the island's most pristine coastal areas.