Trinidad and Tobago: major oil spill in peak tourist season

It's peak tourist season in the Caribbean, carnival season. But a major oil spill threatens to spoil the party in Trinidad and Tobago. The

Gulfstream

, a mysterious ship whose origin is unknown, ran aground on Wednesday February 7 less than 15 km from the coast, in the southwest of the archipelago. 

The beach at Rockly Bay (Tobago), photographed on February 10, 2024, is completely contaminated by the oil spill. AFP - CLEMENT WILLIAMS

By: RFI Follow

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Hundreds of volunteers are working to clean up the damage from the oil spill, as divers take turns trying to plug the leak from the ship, which is about 100 meters long and the

Tobago

Disaster Management

Agency

(Tema ) reported that there were no signs of life on the mysterious

Gulfstream

ship responsible for the disaster.

Despite this mobilization, the authorities of Trinidad and Tobago are considering declaring a national emergency, while the currents push the boat ever closer to the shore.

Where does this boat come from?

The

Gulfstream

was spotted Wednesday, but little is known about its origin. No flag, no crew... No distress call was even recorded after the sinking of the boat, which was supposed to transport wood and sand.

This disaster, which threatens the precious ecosystem of the archipelago, also risks depriving many inhabitants of their means of subsistence, whether they are fishermen or hoteliers. Around 15 km of coastline are contaminated on Tobago, one of the two islands of this Caribbean oil country of 1.4 million inhabitants, close to Venezuela.

Carnival canceled

Tour operators fear considerable financial losses, while the carnival season generally represents their peak of activity of the year. The beaches of some hotels are already soiled by oil cakes and the traditional children's carnival in Scarborough, the capital of Tobago, has had to be canceled. 

Environmental questionsWhy haven't we finished with oil?

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