Personnel from the Mexican Navy and Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) are conducting investigations due to the presence of hydrocarbons in the waters off the port of Progreso.
Early this morning, a Pemex vehicle arrived with its personnel, who, having to rely on the support of local fishermen who lent their boats, were taken to the area where the fuel is located.
According to information obtained, one oil slick is located about 300 meters from the beach, in the area of the fiscal pier, and another is located about 150 meters from the beach. Both appear to have been contained by the installed barriers.
As of now, the origin of this problem has not been officially reported.
However, according to fishermen, the situation is not recent.
Residents of the port had noticed the presence of fuel for months, and although they had reported it, it wasn’t until Monday morning that the authorities took action, they said.
Although local fishermen believe the substance is diesel, this has not been confirmed.
According to Diego Azueta, a veteran fisherman, this situation poses a significant environmental risk that, if left unaddressed, will affect not only the fishermen but also tourism itself, as it could drive marine life away from the area.
The newspaper learned that Pemex personnel are also inspecting the Mérida-Progreso pipeline to verify its condition.
“It leaked from an old, decommissioned pipe, and as far as we know, they’ve already resolved the problem,” said Enrique Sánchez Sánchez, president of Canainpesca and Exportamar.
Regarding potential impacts on the fishing sector, Sánchez Sánchez stated that no reports have been received from fishermen, and if any damage exists, it has not been quantified.
As for the overall condition of the pipelines, he affirmed that the relevant authorities are working to maintain them in good condition to prevent this from happening again in the future.
Oil Spill Still Active in the Gulf of Mexico
During the first days of March, an oil spill occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, beginning off the coast of Veracruz and spreading to Tabasco.
By the first days of April, the spill, which had remained hidden from public view for several weeks, had already extended over 900 kilometers across the Gulf of Mexico.
At the end of March, representatives of the National Chamber of the Fishing and Aquaculture Industry (Canainpesca) reported that the oil spill was not affecting the Yucatán coast.
Initially, Pemex identified three sources of the spill in the Gulf, one of them related to a vessel anchored near Coatzacoalcos, as well as natural seepage from tar pits.
However, last week Pemex acknowledged that the incident had been reported since the beginning of February and that it originated from a leak in a pipeline at the Cantarell complex.
The above information was released following the confirmation of the dismissal of three officials from the state-owned company due to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The oil spill that began weeks ago has now spread over 600 kilometers and continues to expand across the Gulf of Mexico. Below is the real-time map created by the Gulf of Mexico Reef Corridor Network.
Source: yucatan
