Since February 12th, 2024, Aruba has been monitoring the oil spill incident in Trinidad and Tobago. During this monitoring phase, Aruba was under YELLOW code.
We have now received confirmation that our sister islands Bonaire and Curaçao have detected patches/tar from the oil spill along their coastlines.
This situation has caused Aruba to move to ORANGE code, which means the island is now on stand-by for any potential developments.
According to Aruba’s Oil Spill Response Action Plan, once Bonaire experiences the effects of an oil spill, Aruba automatically moves to the ORANGE/stand-by phase. During this phase, the coastlines will be inspected and monitored regularly to check whether oil patches/tar have reached our shores.
Actions to be taken if oil patches/tar are detected on our coast:
Immediate cleaning actions:
– If the oil/tar is found in areas where the public swims.
– If it is found in locations where sea turtles have nests or use for nesting.
No immediate action:
– Any patches/tar on rocky cliffs will remain if they pose no risk to people or animals.
The Crisis Management Office (CMO) Aruba calls on everyone visiting our coastlines in the coming days to stay alert and report any signs of oil patches/tar. If anything is detected, it can be reported via:
– E-mail: cmo@crisis.aw
– Telephone: 588-0100
– WhatsApp: +297 592 9600
Press release: Crisis Management Office Aruba (CMO)
