National emergency after oil spill

San Juan (EFE).- The authorities of Trinidad and Tobago are facing a national emergency due to oil spill on their shores caused by an abandoned ship and they did not rule out requesting foreign help to control this environmental disaster Is.

The Institute of Marine Affairs said it was conducting an initial assessment of mangroves, beaches and other areas and warned that ecologically sensitive areas such as Petit Trou are seriously affected by the spill, which began a week ago. However, it was not announced till last Sunday. ,

The tourism sector as well as the fishing industry are being badly affected, as the Tobago Assembly has had to restrict access to many beaches while carrying out clean-up operations.

According to the Tobago Emergency Management Agency, the oil spill is 48 nautical miles (about 88 kilometers) long and 0.13 nautical miles (240 meters) wide.

National emergency in Trinidad and Tobago

Prime Minister Keith Rowley described the oil spill as a “national emergency” and expressed concern about the disaster caused by an abandoned ship entering local waters.

The President visited the affected area on the south-west coast of Tobago and announced at a press conference that the spill was not under control, but showed “signs of containment” amid ongoing work.

In this sense, Rowley indicated that all efforts to clean up, mitigate and prevent new disasters will be intensified in the coming days in accordance with the action protocols of the Office of Disaster Preparedness Management (ODPM).

The Prime Minister said that some “friendly” countries with experience of oil spills have offered “significant assistance” and that Trinidad and Tobago could accept it.

Although the oil has spread across Tobago island’s main beaches, according to experts, Rowley said the incident could have been “much worse” if it had affected certain areas such as Buku Reef and Nylon Pool.

Authorities are also investigating the origin of the ship, as at the moment they do not know where it came from, who it belongs to and how much fuel is stored in it.

Rowley detailed that no distress calls were found in national security records and that the ship may have been part of an “illegal” operation.