What Caused the Galapagos Oil Spill?

In a disaster that could threaten the integrity of one of the most delicate ecosystems in the world, more than 600 gallons of oil spilled off the coast of the Galapagos Islands. The incident took place on San Cristobal Island, the easternmost island in the archipelago known for sandy beaches, giant tortoises and basking sea lions.

The crisis unfolded just before Christmas, when a crane collapsed while loading an electric generator onto a cargo vessel. The generator was dropped onto the deck of the vessel, causing it to destabilise and sink, along with the crane, the generator and other cargo. While emergency teams were quickly deployed to clean up the spill, it didn't stop scientists and environmentalists from slamming local authorities for allowing the accident to occur.

Tourism threatens integrity of UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Galapagos Islands are classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and protect some of the most unique ecosystems and animal species on earth. The archipelago inspired the theory of evolution put forward by Charles Darwin and is now a major ecotourism attraction, with visitors from across the globe flocking to spot endemic species like the Galápagos land iguana, giant tortoise, Blue-footed boobies and Darwin's finches.

While tourists and operators must follow strict rules designed to protect the natural ecosystem, conservationists claim the latest incident highlights concerns over the looming threat of over-tourism. SOS Galapagos, a local environmental advocacy group, claimed the boat loading operations were "illegal" and urge authorities to introduce harsher penalties against those breaking the law and threatening the Galapagos ecosystem.

"Not a single species affected," says Ecuadorian Environment Minister

Ecuadorian Environment Minister Raul Ledesma was less concerned, saying "Not a single species has been affected by the spill in San Cristobal." He assured environmentalists that "During the night, almost the entire contaminated area was cleaned up" and added "This morning, there was only a small oil patch that we hope to eliminate in the next few hours."

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