MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Huge oil slick washes ashore north of Comodoro Rivadavia

Rescue workers shovel sand on the oil-covered beach

A huge oil spill has washed to the shore north of Comodoro Rivadavia in Argentine Patagonia, threatening the rich marine life in the area according to reports from the Argentine press.

Fearing an environmental disaster the federal-provincial crisis committee has been convened, rescue teams have been sent to the area and oil companies have been invited to report on their latest activities. The exact place in Chubut province where the four kilometers diameter oil slick struck the coast is called Caleta Córdoba nearby an offshore oil loading platform where tankers queue up to transport crude mostly for Buenos Aires refineries. The platform is operated by Termap, Terminales Maritimas Patagonicas S.A. Apparently the spill reached the coast Wednesday night which impeded any immediate rescue operations causing a significant environmental damage and affecting sea birds and an area rich in shell fish, according to reports released in Buenos Aires by the Environment Secretary. The origin of the spill has yet to be identified but given the heavy traffic of tankers that load oil pumped from a land deposit north of Comodoro Rivadavia, the investigation is targeting operations in the last 72 hours. Comodoro Rivadavia is in the heart of one of Argentina's main oil producing provinces. Since early Thursday morning several crews totaling a hundred people armed with buckets, shovels and other tools are working collecting as much of the oil as possible. A team from the Hazardous Residues Office has been sent to inquiry into the accident and to report on proposed sanctions and fines in line with current legislation. Another team is working to contain the spread of the spill using solvents and other chemicals and a third group will assess the extent of the damage and report on possible compensations for the affected areas. The crisis committee in Buenos Aires is made up of the Environment Secretary in coordination with Chubut province authorities, the Coast Guard and representatives from the oil corporation in the region.