1,000 volunteers scramble in Caribbean to clean up massive oil spill by Trinidad and Tobago just before Carnival

A mystery vessel has run aground near Trinidad and Tobago, affecting at least 15km of coastline, at Carnival time. The island nation says it is ready to accept help

The ship, identified as The Gulfstream, was sailing under an unidentified flag, made no emergency calls and had no sign of life on board

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Emergency workers are trying to clean up a huge oil spill after a vessel ran aground in the Caribbean, just when thousands of tourists are expected to arrive for carnival season. Photo: Handout via AFP

Published: 5:44pm, 11 Feb 2024Updated: 6:01pm, 11 Feb 2024

Emergency workers in Trinidad and Tobago are scrambling to clean up a massive oil spill after a mystery vessel ran aground near the Caribbean island, casting a pall over Carnival tourism.

At least 15km (around 10 miles) of coastline have been affected in Tobago and authorities were poised to declare a national emergency, Farley Augustine, chief secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, told reporters on Saturday.

Environmental officials said the spill has damaged a reef and Atlantic beaches, boding ill for the island’s resorts and hotels, the lifeline of the local economy during Carnival season.

Augustine said the government may elevate the accident to a Level 3 disaster, adding, “everything indicates that we are going in that direction”.

The mystery vessel, identified as The Gulfstream, capsized on Wednesday off the coast of the Cove Eco-Industrial Park in southern Tobago, and currents have dragged the boat shoreward.

This video grab released by the Tobago House Assembly shows emergency workers trying to deal with an oil spill after a ship capsized. Photo: Handout via AFP

When sighted on Wednesday, the ship was sailing under an unidentified flag and made no emergency calls.