Americas News
1,000-Gallon Spill During Bunkering Off Bahamas
About 1,000 gallons of oil has spilled off the Bahamas coast, but authorities have not explained the source of the spill, the Associated Press reports.
Raymond Darville of the salvage company Overseas Marine Group Ltd. said the spill occurred early Sunday near an oil and gas storage facility in Freeport Harbor on Grand Bahama island as a ship was refueling from a barge.
Kenrid Dorsett, environmental minister for the Bahamas, said an official report is expected Monday but could not comment on the cause of the spill or how much oil was released.
"As far as we are aware it is controlled," he said, adding that "under control doesn't mean it is contained."
"We are waiting for an exact report."
Last month, after a cargo ship leaked oil at another spot off Grand Bahama island, Darville questioned the government's handling of the accident.
The new AP story puts the amount of that leak at 3,000 gallons.
A recent editorial in the Bahamas' Tribune 242 news site said that the nation must address oil spills and other environmental and economic issues around the oil industry as it considers developing its oil resources.
