Oil-Slick Approaches Bonaire

Recent reports from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) highlight the spread of an oil slick from the overturned Gulfstream vessel, now reaching up to Bonaire, situated 50 miles (80km) north of the Venezuelan coast. Concerns are mounting in Bonaire as authorities brace for potential environmental repercussions on mangrove, fish, and coral ecosystems.

The vessel, stuck on a reef near Cove Estate in Tobago, has been continuously leaking bunker fuel since its discovery on February 7th. Investigative efforts by Bellingcat revealed that the leakage began as early as February 3rd, with satellite images capturing the vessel being towed by the Solo Creed after departing Pozuelos Bay, a Venezuelan port linked to the state-owned PDVSA oil company. The Solo Creed’s last known location on February 4th near Aruba raises questions about its current status.

The circumstances surrounding the Gulfstream’s capsizing and subsequent drift to Tobago’s coast remain unclear, with the vessel owners evading authorities. While the vessels were expected to reach Guyana by February 6th, their disappearance has sparked investigations by the Tobago House of Assembly to locate the responsible parties for accountability in this environmental crisis.