Huge streaks of black can be seen stretching across the waters of the Caribbean in satellite images of the recent oil spill near Tobago.
The oil spill occurred on February 7 after a barge wrecked on a reef off the coast of Tobago Island, resulting in the barge starting to sink and leaking out oil, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard reported.
Images were captured of the area near the island before the spill and again on February 14 by the European Space Agency's Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission, showing how far the oil spill has floated westwards across the seas.
As of Friday, the oil spill had traveled about 150 miles, according to the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA). In the days since, it has likely journeyed much further.
"The anomaly now extends 150 nautical miles northwest from the westernmost point of Tobago, reaching areas north of The Los Testigos Islands, north of of Venezuela, and south of Grenada," TEMA said in a Facebook post on Friday.
The destination of the barge and its accompanying tug boat was thought to be the nearby island of Guyana, and the barge is believed to have been carrying as much as 35,000 barrels of fuel oil, though the amount of oil and the exact type of petroleum leaking from the ship has not yet been confirmed.
Newsweek has contacted the Trinidad and Tobago authorities for comment.
There are fears that the spill will have a catastrophic effect on local wildlife, both on Tobago and in the open ocean.
"The oil spill along Tobago's coastline is absolutely devastating to the island's unique marine biodiversity & the nation's economy. This spill happened almost one week ago on Feb. 7, yet they're still trying to get it under control and find the source," Ocean Conservancy, a marine protection nonprofit organization, posted to X.
Oil spills have significant and often devastating effects on wildlife, leading to mortality, habitat degradation, and long-term ecological damage. Oil spills can kill wildlife via suffocation, covering their fur, feathers, or skin, making it difficult for them to move, breathe, or regulate their body temperature. The oil also interferes with the insulating properties of feathers and fur, leading to hypothermia or hyperthermia. They may also be toxic, containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals, and other chemicals. These substances can poison animals if ingested, either directly or indirectly through contaminated food and water sources. Additionally, species at the top of the food chain, such as predators like birds and marine mammals, can accumulate toxins from contaminated prey, leading to biomagnification.
The effects of oil spills can persist long after the initial incident. Oil can remain in the environment for years, harming wildlife and ecosystems. Contaminated habitats may take decades to recover, and some ecosystems may never fully recover from the damage caused by an oil spill.
Trinidad and Tobago has warned its neighboring nations that the oil spill may be heading their way. The oil spill can be seen in the satellite images to be moving out of Trinidad and Tobago's marine area and into Grenada's southernmost marine area, which is feared to affect nearby Venezuela.
"It has now entered Grenada's territorial waters," Tobago's chief secretary, Farley Augustine, said following a fly-over by Trinidad and Tobago's air guard, as reported by The Guardian. "We are unable to plug the leak and unless we have information on how much fuel is in the barge or what exactly it contains we cannot move forward, except containment and skimming."
The oil has already begun to wash up on beaches across Tobago, with beaches turning black and several resorts being forced to close ocean access.
As of Thursday, the barge was still stuck on the reef, and continuing to leak oil. Around 2,000 barrels of oil have been cleared from Tobago's beaches by volunteers and first responders, but more people are needed to fully clean up the effects of the spill.
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Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jess Thomson is a Newsweek Science Reporter based in London UK. Her focus is reporting on science, technology and healthcare. ... Read more
