• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Briefing
  • In Depth
  • Travel
    • Americas & Caribbean
    • Asia Pacific
    • Europe
    • Red Sea & Africa
    • DIVE Travel Awards
  • Equipment
    • Kit Reviews
  • Learning
  • UW Photography
    • Featured Photographers
    • Featured Videographer
    • Underwater Camera Gear
  • Destination Guides
    • Egypt
      • Introduction
      • Sinai, Sharm & Dahab
      • Hurghada and the Bays
      • Liveaboards
      • Marine life
      • Wreck Dives
    • St Helena
      • Introduction
      • Topside
      • Dive Sites
      • Marine Life
      • Wreck Dives
      • Whale Sharks
    • Fiji
      • Introduction
      • Bligh Water, Lomativiti, Lau Groups
      • Beqa Lagoon & Kadavu Group
      • Taveuni & The Somosomo Strait
      • Mamanuca & Yasawa Group
      • Marine Life
    • Mexico
      • Introduction
      • Revillagigedos & Guadalupe
      • Sea of Cortez & Baja California
      • Cozumel • Riviera Maya • Isla Mujeres
      • Central Pacific
      • Cenote diving
    • Philippines
      • Philippines Introduction
      • Need to Know
      • Top dives
      • Marine Life
      • Coron Bay wrecks
      • Topside
      • Video playlist
DIVE Magazine logo

DIVE Magazine

Scuba Diving Luxury Travel Magazine

Sinking Galápagos dive boat leaves ‘superficial’ slick

25 April 2022
2 minutes

Drone footage showing the extend of the Galápagos diesel spill and the sunken dive boat surrounded by barriers (Photo: Parque Nacional Galápagos/Facebook)

By DIVE Staff

A dive boat which sank off Santa Cruz island in the Galápagos National Park on Saturday carrying 47 barrels of diesel created an extensive but ‘superficial’ slick at the surface, according to National Park officers dealing with the spillage.

Concerns of ecological damage to the sensitive marine ecosystems for which the Galápagos islands are famous have been allayed by the swift action taken by ‘Guardians’ of the Directorate of the Parque Nacional Galápagos (DPNG)

Barriers and absorbent cloths were rapidly deployed by DPNG Guardians (Photo: Parque Nacional Galápagos/Facebook)

The boat, named Albatros, is thought to have been transporting the fuel to supply other vessels based in the area when it sank in Academia Bay. The alarm was raised by Ecuador’s state-sponsored petroleum company Petroecuador, although the amount of diesel the Albatros was carrying – estimated to be around 2,000 gallons – was apparently not reported at the time. The four crew members on board were not injured during the incident.

DPNG Guardians rapidly deployed containment barriers and absorbent cloths before the vessel sank, according to reports. Other groups deployed biodegradable chemical disperser across the affected areas.

Inspections on Sunday morning found the beaches largely cleared of pollution (Photo: Parque Nacional Galápagos/Facebook)

Diving and other water activities were suspended and the beaches surrounding Academia Bay closed following the sinking. Normal operations resumed and the beaches were reopened following a DPNG inspection on Sunday morning.

The reason for the sinking remains unclear, however the DPNG reports that ‘the breaking of a pipe’ as the possible cause. Divers will continue to inspect the vessel in the hope that the Albatros can be raised. It is presumed that much of the diesel carried remains on board, although safely contained.

Filed Under: Americas & Caribbean, Briefing Tagged With: Galápagos

Related articles

The best places in the world to scuba dive

The best places in the world to scuba dive

Superhighway to protect migratory sharks between Galápagos, Cocos & Malpelo

Superhighway to protect migratory sharks between Galápagos, Cocos & Malpelo

The best scuba diving adventures in the world

The best scuba diving adventures in the world

Footer

sq kemps ridleys

FOLLOW DIVE

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Want to access DIVE on your tablet or smartphone? Press the Apple, Android or PC/Mac image below to download the app for your device

Footer Apple Footer Android Footer Mac-PC

More from DIVE

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With DIVE Magazine
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2022 · Site by Syon Media