Ecuador declares emergency after fuel spill in Galapagos Islands

Ecuador has declared emergency to contain the environmental impact of a fuel spill in the Galapagos Islands, after a barge carrying 600 gallons of diesel fuel sank. The Islands are located 1,000 kilometers east of mainland Ecuador.  The accident occurred when a crane collapsed while loading a container onto the barge. The falling container destabilized the ship, causing it to sink.

   

Ecuadorian navy and national police were



coordinating with the nature reserve authority, Galapagos National Park (GNP) to resolve the emergency and assess environmental damage.

 

Environment minister Raul Ledesma tweeted that the government had taken immediate actions to reduce the environmental risk.

 

Latin American Galapagos archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to one of the most fragile ecosystems on the planet.