Around 15 soldiers deployed to assist oil cleanup in Bonaire

The oil spill which recently plagued Caribbean waters managed to reach the shores of the island of Bonaire, posing threats to their vulnerable mangroves. Earlier this month an oil spill gripped the Caribbean region when a capsized cargo vessel near Tobago carrying up to 35,000 barrels of fuel capsized and began leaking oil. Authorities are still uncertain as to who owns the capsized barge and the details surrounding what caused it to sink.

Trinidad and Tobago authorities stated that the barge originated in Panama and had been towed away by a tugboat.  They suggested that it would have been “bound for Guyana”. The oil spill managed to make its way to the coast of Bonaire. The authorities on Bonaire, which is a special municipality of the Netherlands, said the island’s east coast, including Sorobon, Lac and Lagun, had been polluted. As of this point in time, the fish and coral ecosystems of the region are considered to be at high risk. Social media posts by residents showed imagery of oil-stained reefs, sand and even birds at some of the beaches. Bonaire, an island heavily dependent on the tourism sector, has not declared a state of emergency but has very explicitly notified visitors to distance themselves from the affected areas. To counter the potential damage that the spill may cause, a team of 15 soldiers was deployed earlier this week to assist in cleaning up oil that washed ashore from a sunken barge in Tobago, over 800 kilometres away. The cleanup efforts have been focused on the Foodies and Lagun areas alongside the Punto Kalbas and Mar Cultura on the island's southern tip. While Sorobon Beach has already been cleaned up, authorities are yet to deem it safe for reopening; this is likely so that officials can conduct tests determining whether or not small oil particles are present in the surrounding water which could potentially risk visitors' health. Local media outlets quoted some officials saying that safeguarding the mangrove-rich zone of Lac Bay is now a priority. Trinidad and Tobago’s Coast Guard first spotted the oil spill from a capsized vessel on Feb. 7, and oil is still leaking, per the authorities.