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Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

Galapagos Oil Spill: Technical Report 28 Jan 2001

TECHNICAL CHRONOLOGY OF CDRS ACTIONS

The slicks that were reported yesterday, have now reached the islands of Isabela and Floreana. This morning a National Park motor launch took Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) and Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS) personnel, and international specialists in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation to Puerto Villamil, on Isabela. They have equipment with them to clean and treat any oiled wildlife if the need arises.

Another vessel "Sirenian" took GNPS personnel to Floreana to help with the clean up operations that started yesterday in the region of Las Cuevas, where a small but thick and viscous patch of bunker fuel was found in a cove.

We are still waiting for reports from both islands concerning the extent of contamination and whether any wildlife is affected.

Conditions have stabilized in San Cristobal, so international specialists in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation that were helping to treat oiled wildlife in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno are returning to Santa Cruz. CDRS and GNPS personnel will continue monitoring the coast and wildlife of the island.

The GNP and CDRS, with the collaboration of Galapagos tour operators, are continuing the air and sea search for patches of bunker fuel within the archipelago.

All Galapagos institutions remain on full alert in case more fuel spills out of the damaged ship, Jessica. It has not yet been possible to stabilize the ship and pump out the remaining fuel, which is thought to be only a small fraction of the original cargo.