Rescue workers in Trinidad and Tobago are racing to clean up a major oil spill after a mysterious ship ran aground near the Caribbean island, severely impacting Carnival tourism.
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| Mystery ship capsizes off Trinidad & Tobago, triggering massive oil spill and national emergency. Prime Minister Keith Rowley says a massive oil spill from a capsized ship off Trinidad and Tobago is “out of control”. (Source: AFP) |
As of February 11, Prime Minister Keith Rowley said the oil spill was “out of control” and added that the country was grappling with a national emergency.
The mysterious ship that capsized on February 7 in waters off the Caribbean island showed no sign of its crew and no clear indication of ownership. Its cargo consisted only of sand and wood. Authorities in Trinidad and Tobago have not received any distress calls from the mysterious ship.
Trinidad & Tobago has just canceled its children's carnival, one of the most important cultural and artistic events in this Caribbean country, due to this incident.
At least 15 kilometers of Trinidad and Tobago's coastline has been affected, Farley Augustine, the House of Representatives' chief secretary, said on February 11. The Caribbean nation has raised its state of emergency to level 3 and more than 1,000 volunteers are working to clean up the oil spill on the coast. The Environmental Emergency Management Agency has found damage to coral reefs and some beaches.
The incident occurred as Trinidad & Tobago prepares to enter the peak of its holiday season and is expected to welcome thousands of tourists.
Trinidad & Tobago is working to plug leaks on the Gulfstream and has contacted several members of the United Nations for assistance.
MP Dave Tancoo stressed that the offshore oil spill not only threatens Trinidad & Tobago's precious marine ecosystem and the livelihoods of many small businesses, but also exposes security gaps at the border.
One of the largest oil spills in Trinidad & Tobago history occurred on July 19, 1979 after two oil tankers, one carrying 276,000 tons of crude oil and the other carrying 200,000 tons, collided in the Caribbean Sea, off the island of Tobago.
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