Americas News
Diesel Spill After Barge Wrecked in Colombia
A diesel oil spill has been reported at a port in northern Colombia after a barge carrying construction material was shipwrecked there late last week, Reuters reports.
The barge was carrying the materials for U.S.-based coal company Drummond Co Inc. (Drummond) at the company's port and was carrying 60 gallons of fuel.
The amount of diesel leaked from the wreck has not been established.
"The motors of the ship that was rescued contained diesel fuel so containment barriers were installed in the area of the accident to confine the diesel that fell into the sea," Drummond said.
The company had only recently reopened the port after the government had shut it down until it completed an upgrade to comply with environmental law.
Drummond was fined $3.6 million for polluting the bay in 2012 when a ship spilled coal into the waters.
The company has also come under fire over air pollution and allegations of collaboration with paramilitary groups, with a Drummond contractor sentenced to 38 years in jail last year over the murder of two union activists in 2001, according to the Wall Street Journal.
