Mexico’s Permanent Observatory of the Gulf of Mexico has confirmed a fresh oil spill at a Pemex facility located about 46 nautical miles (roughly 53 miles, or 85 km) north of Ciudad del Carmen, in the Gulf coast state of Campeche.
According to the agency, Mexico’s Navy activated its Local Contingency Plan on Wednesday through its Regional Emergency Response Group, sending the patrol ship ARM Guanajuato, four additional vessels, two aircraft, and 255 naval personnel to help Pemex contain and recover the spilled crude offshore.
Officials say a Pemex crew has already pinpointed the source of the leak in an underwater pipeline and is working to seal it. Meanwhile, Mexico’s environmental safety regulator, ASEA, plans to conduct an aerial survey to document containment, cleanup, and repair efforts.
The Observatory—created in April after a previous spill in the same offshore region known as Sonda de Campeche—says it has already issued four satellite-based reports using radar and multispectral imagery to track the slick’s movement. Forecast models suggest the oil will drift westward over the next five days.
Observatory coordinator Abigail Uribe said current simulations indicate it’s unlikely the spill will reach the shoreline or any environmentally sensitive area during that period. However, she cautioned that forecasts could shift if a cold front moves into the region within the next ten days, and monitoring will continue.
For the full report, visit La Jornada’s original article.
Source: Reportan nuevo derrame de petróleo en instalaciones de Pemex en Campeche (jornada.com.mx). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: Kevin Krejci, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).