The oil spill caused by explosions on a tanker off Peru’s northern coast last week is spreading south-west and affecting popular tourist sites, according to the head of Natural Resources and Environmental Management in the Tumbes Department, Augusto Zegarra.
Zegarra told Agencia Andina that the oil has spread to Piura Department and is seen off the coast of Mancora, a small fishing village with popular, picturesque beaches and well-known surf point, located about 650-miles north of Lima.
The oil spill was caused after explosions on a 1400-ton, Class C tanker, on lease from the Peruvian navy to the oil company BPZ Energy, caused a fire. At the time of the fire, the tanker was stationed at an oil platform offshore from Zorritos, Tumbes Department.The accident resulted in one death and numerous injuries.
There are also worries the spill has affected the area’s fishing resources, which the majority of the local population depends on for their livelihood. According to daily El Comercio, hundreds of fishermen and women in Tumbes have stopped working, demanding information on the extent of the damage to the local stock.
