Americas News
Sabotage Suspected in Trinidad Bunker Spill
Thousands of barrels of bunker fuel have been spilled from Petrotrin's storage facilities in Pointe-a-Pierre, Trinidad, resulting in pollution across the entire South coast of the country, the Trinidad Express reports, citing a report compiled by the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA).
Sabotage is suspected as the likely cause of the spill, which was originally not thought to be bunker fuel.
"The source of this spill has been scientifically established beyond doubt and by sampling it is the same fuel in Granville, La Brea, Carrat Shed and at Pointe-a-Pierre," a Government source told the news service.
"The probe will have to take place with respect to the land base allegations of sabotage because it required specialist equipment to open the valves."
"We have established the fingerprint of the oil spill fuel but we have not established how the oil came to spill, that is a matter which will have to be independently investigated."
IMA chairman Dr Indar Ramnarine said a detailed survey of the coastline from Chatham to Pointe-a- Pierre will be conducted that will study the impact of the spill, while forensic analysis will be required to determine whether the spill was deliberate or an act of carelessness.
"At the moment it would not be appropriate to blame anyone but the nature of it seems to indicate that there may be some sabotage and therefore that needs to be investigated before we can say anything further," Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had said earlier.
