Authorities have issued a warning that an oil spill on the coast of Tobago in the Caribbean is now spreading to Grenada and may potentially impact Venezuela.
After Trinidad and Tobago’s coastguard initially discovered the oil spill from a capsized and abandoned barge, the fuel is still leaking and parts of the slick have spread approximately 144km (89 miles) into the Caribbean Sea at a speed of 14km/h.
Farley Augustine, the chief secretary of Tobago, reported that Trinidad and Tobago’s air guard flew over and confirmed that it has now reached Grenada’s territorial waters.
According to Augustine, the situation is now under control thanks to a 40ft perimeter secured by booms around the damaged area. However, fuel is still leaking from the sunken ship.
“We cannot seal the leak until we have knowledge of the barge’s fuel quantity and content. Without this information, our options are limited to containment and skimming,” he stated.
Before and after satellite images compiled by the Guardian and superimposed on one another showed the scale of the spill on the Tobago coastline, leaving large areas dyed black.
The Trinidadian government and Caricom have reached out to authorities in Grenada, Panama, Aruba, and Guyana for details as they conduct an investigation into the tragedy.
An initial inquiry discovered that the barge, whose ownership and source have not been verified, was being pulled towards neighboring Guyana.
A massive cleanup operation was initiated on Sunday after officials declared a state of national emergency.
The foreign affairs ministry of Venezuela announced that they are closely monitoring the oil spill and have begun discussions with the government of Trinidad to plan a coordinated response.
Authorities have indicated that it is uncertain whether there were any individuals present on the barge at the time of its capsizing and subsequent submersion near the coast of Tobago. The search for the tug boat and its proprietor is ongoing.
The leakage has provoked a strong reaction from numerous inhabitants of the two-island country.
Augustine summoned the owner of the barge to come forward and cover the cost of the cleanup.
He informed reporters on Wednesday that we have many inquiries and now is the prime opportunity to receive answers for them.
Augustine stated that it is important for us to be informed about the amount and composition of the items being transported, in order to understand the situation we are facing, the environment we are navigating through, and the efforts required to restore our shores.
The ongoing investigation was acknowledged by the Minister of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds. He expressed hope for a prompt and favorable outcome.
Source: theguardian.com
