(Reuters) – Efforts are underway by first responders and volunteers from Trinidad and Tobago to address an oil spill that was detected last week in the Caribbean country’s waters. They are also working to clean affected areas of Tobago island’s coast.
The coast guard of Trinidad and Tobago initially spotted the spill on February 7, approximately 6 kilometers off the coast of Studley Park, according to Farley Augustine, the chief secretary of Tobago’s national assembly, in a press conference on Sunday.
Barriers have been set up to contain the spill, which had already spread in a 12-kilometer (7.5 mile) line earlier this week. The goal is to protect the Scarborough port in Tobago, particularly as it is used by cruise ships, especially during high season such as Carnival.
First responders are concentrating on containing the spill as tides change, safeguarding surrounding areas, cleaning beaches, deploying divers, isolating toxic material, and assessing its impact on wildlife, based on information from officials and media reports.
“This is a national emergency here in Trinidad and Tobago,” said Prime Minister Keith Rowley on Sunday, following his statement that a vessel had capsized and made contact with a reef on the coastline, causing the spill.
Officials also mentioned that they have identified the vessel as “the Gulfstream” – with divers reportedly spotting the name on the side of the craft that supposedly caused the spill, without providing further details.
The government stated that it will continue investigating the vessel’s owner and operator, as well as whether the leak came from its bunker deposit. Reuters discovered at least three ships with similar names, and all of their transponders were offline, according to LSEG vessel monitoring data.
“It could have been much worse,” stated Rowley, explaining that if the collision had occurred further east, it would have reached the Scarborough port. Conversely, if the spill had occurred further west, a significant amount of the oil could have entered a crucial marine park.
According to Augustine, an initial assessment found a minimal impact on animals in the area.
Energy minister Stuart Young indicated that certain energy companies operating in the country, including British BP, have supplied equipment such as remotely operated vehicles to aid in the investigation and cleanup.
(Reporting by Marianna Parraga; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
