Trinidad and Tobago declared a national emergency this weekend after a mysterious “ghost ship” caused a massive oil spill offshore, impacting the island nation’s coast.
Authorities believe the ship capsized on Wednesday, but as of press time had little to say about the ship itself. Trinidad authorities found the ship abandoned, with no known owner and no crew.
No emergency call was made to nearby authorities. Its origin and destination are unknown at the time of writing.
Spills caused by ‘ghost ships’ have so far only been confirmed as gulf stream, affecting approximately 10 miles of Tobago’s southwest coastline. Local cleanup teams are working to contain the leak and clean up the affected shoreline.
according to In a statement to Tobago Parliament’s Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, divers have so far been unable to contain the oil leak and are looking for ways to remove the remaining oil.
Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Keith Rowley dealt with The country reiterated on Monday that local authorities still do not know how much oil spilled and how much remains on board. It is also unknown what caused the ship to capsize.
“It appears that an unknown ship has drifted upside down in Tobago. We don’t know who it belongs to,” Rowley said. “We don’t know where it came from and we don’t know what it contains.”
“What we do know is that it appears to be broken and is leaking some kind of hydrocarbons that are contaminating the water and the coastline,” he continued. “That ship could have come to us through any kind of operation, especially if that operation was illegal.”
Officials also don’t know exactly what kind of ship the “ghost ship” is.
Workers leave the Rockley Bay oil spill on Tobago Island, Trinidad and Tobago, on February 10, 2024, unable to clean up due to high tides. (Clement Williams/AFP via Getty)
“Only the keel of the ship is visible and the feature is underwater and cannot be penetrated at this time,” Mr Rowley said. “But we are doing everything possible to answer these questions.”
Mr Rowley explained that several countries with experience of oil spills had offered to help, but he did not reveal the names of the supporting countries.
“I can say that Trinidad and Tobago as a country has been offered significant assistance by friendly countries involved in this,” Rowley asserted.
he added:
Cleaning and restoration can only begin in earnest once the situation has been brought under control. At the moment, the situation is not under control, but it seems to be under enough control to know that it should get better, if not worse.
We hope that the situation will improve, but as the ship is located on a steep slope, its position may change depending on the tide.
Local authorities have not yet determined the type of chemical, believed to be a type of oil, leaking from the mystery vessel and are awaiting the results of samples taken to determine its exact nature.
“We don’t have these answers at this point,” Lowry said. “But as the days go by and additional work is completed, we should be able to answer those questions as we move forward.”
Mr Rowley warned that clean-up and restoration work could only begin in earnest once the situation was under control.
He stressed that “the situation is not under control at this time.” “But it seems to be well under control and we think we can manage it.”
The Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) on Monday released a video showcasing the late-night work of cleaning crews around Rockley Bay in the town of Scarborough.
🌙Until midnight on Sunday 11th February 2024, Heritage Petroleum teams will be working tirelessly to clean up along Rockley Bay in Scarborough. Despite the gloom, their unwavering commitment shines through as they work diligently to restore balance to the environment and alleviate the aftermath of recent events. #CommunityEffort #OilSpillResponse #OperationGulfBasin #Resiliency #Cleanup #EnvironmentalCare #RockleaBayRestoration #Teamwork
Contributor TEMA (Tobago Emergency Management Agency) Sunday, February 11, 2024
Trinidad and Tobago Marine Research Institute inaugurated evaluation It inspected mangroves and beaches near the affected areas in Tobago this weekend and claimed the Petit Troupe Lagoon, affected by the spill, is now considered to be in an “extremely vulnerable” position.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan writer who chronicles life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
