The Tobago Oil Spill and Its Consequences
On the morning of Feb. 7, 2024, the neighboring Trinidad and Tobago — countries found off the Northeast border of South America’s residents— awoke to a mysterious sight: their coast was “blackened” by an oil spill from a mysteriously capsized ship. This ever-present ecological issue has left scientists and officials stumped. Currently, there is no exact quantity of oil excreted, no party being held responsible, and no known intention behind the act. The impact of this event on the area’s marine life is clear.
The timeline of events we have now is very rough and filled with speculation, but is as follows: On Feb. 7, 2024, a group of individuals tried to tow a 330-foot vessel off the coast, using cables seen attached to the ship by divers, but an unforeseen error occurred causing the boat to capsize, flip over entirely, and force the passengers to abandon the ship while it sank.
Following this, many residents reported a capsized ship visible offshore, leaking oil, and the situation has remained static from there. Prime Minister Keith Rowley stated that this ship may have been a part of “illicit business” and that “We don't know who it belongs to. We have no idea where it came from, and we also don't know all that it contains…But we do know it appears to be broken having made contact here and is leaking some kind of hydrocarbon that is fouling the water and the coastline."
For all the unknowns of this situation, there are some facts: a nine-mile strip of the country’s coastline was coated in oil, over 1000 volunteers have been deployed to aid the clean-up process, a national emergency is in place, and the vessel type remains shrouded. This has prevented investigators from discovering the damaged area of the hull leaking oil and plugging the hole. The intent has been to mitigate the coastline’s damage, whether by vacuuming the spilled oil or installing barriers to consolidate the spill’s spread.
The impact of this event is still being formed, but one thing can be assumed: the long-term exposure to oil will have damning and unforeseen consequences for the remaining marine life found within this nine-mile strip, specifically due to oil's reputation for contaminating essential food chains. It is known for its hazardous and deadly side effects for the animals it comes into contact with, whether this be through suffocation, irritation, or a reaction even more grave.
This oil is referred to as heavy oil, which is “Asphaltic, dense…, and viscous….” It is known for its “ability to smother organisms” and its tendency to “harden, becoming very similar to an asphalt road surface.” Suffocation and irritation are two of the most likely current effects being experienced, however, these aren’t the only results being taken into consideration; there are numerous potential outcomes.
These two Caribbean countries are doing everything possible to mitigate and recover the land before it is too late for the organisms who call it home. As time goes on, the situation is becoming more and more challenging to remedy, even though the area in which the oil spreads is continuing to dwindle. The broken hull of the ship continues to leak, oil continues to spill at a disproportionate rate compared to its cleanup, and cleanup crews are left unable to resolve the problem.
What may need to be done is to give attention and support to the clean-up process, while shining a light on this crucial issue for the sake of worldwide recognition. Supporting the people of Tobago and Trinidad as they continue to clean up their coast, as well as all those suffering overseas, can benefit them significantly. The only feasible way to help this unfortunate circumstance is to spread the word.
Thumbnail Photo courtesy of Pexels