Trinidad and Tobago faces potential state of emergency after significant oil spill

The ship, identified merely as Gulfstream, capsized last Wednesday off the coast of Cove Eco-Industrial Estate, close to the Lesser Antilles in the island nation of South America. According to the BBC's report on Sunday, the crew deserted the ship without placing a distress call for help.

A large-scale rescue operation has been in progress in the waters off Trinidad and Tobago's coastline starting from Saturday. Over a thousand volunteers have already teamed up with state agencies. Divers are striving to contain the oil spill from the wreckage of the abandoned ship.

As per the AFP agency, the current evaluation from the Office for Preparedness and Crisis Management implies a second level of threat related to this incident. This suggests that the country could potentially handle the situation without requiring aid from global services.

Nonetheless, Tobago's Chief Secretary, Farley Augustine, expressed that the government considers the issue to be more severe. The authorities are planning to call on the international community for assistance.

The incident took place merely a few days prior to Trinidad and Tobago's carnival celebrations. This time frame is immensely vital for the country's economy due to substantial tourism revenue.

Source: BBC