Perilous Times
Egypt oil spill threatens Red Sea marine life
June 21, 2010 - 12:44AM
A massive oil spill off the Egyptian Red Sea coast of Hurghada
threatening to damage marine life in the area has prompted
environmental agencies to demand tighter regulation of offshore oil
platforms.
Large quantities of oil have appeared in recent days around the resorts
of Hurghada which draw millions of tourists who come to dive or
snorkle, according to the Hurghada Environmental Protection and
Conservation Agency.
"It started four or five days ago and the companies responsible didn't
notify anyone. It is catastrophic," HEPCA Managing Director Amr Ali
told AFP.
The spill was caused by leakage from an offshore oil platform north of
Hurghada and has polluted protected areas and showed up on tourist
beach resorts.
"The companies have said they will pay damages, but it is the
environmental damage that we are concerned about," Ali said, declining
to name the companies for legal reasons.
"We will take all measures, including legal, to make sure this does not
happen again," he said.
HEPCA's warning comes amid ongoing efforts to contain the massive oil
spill in the Gulf of Mexico which has already damaged fragile
ecosystems along the US south coast and halted the region's
multi-billion-dollar fishing industry.
HEPCA, a non-governmental organisation based in Hurghada, has been
working for the protection of natural resources in the Red Sea.
Egypt's environment and tourism ministries said the oil spill was
contained and that measures were being taken to "deal with the
pollution caused by the spill," the official MENA news agency reported.
Authorities protective of the lucrative tourism industry were eager to
resolve the matter quickly. Both the Environment Minister Maged George
and Petroleum Minister Sameh Fahmy visited the area of the spill on
Saturday.
But HEPCA says it was too little too late.
"Visits won't help. We would like to see a clearer plan of action on
the ground," Ali said.
"We would also like to see more stringent standards imposed on these
offshore platforms to ensure natural areas are protected," he said.