The March Gulf of Mexico oil spill that polluted beaches, killed wildlife and spread hundreds of miles was caused by a spill near the Abcaton field operated by state energy company Pemex, Mexican officials said Thursday.Pemex CEO Victor Rodriguez said the leak was not reported within the organization, leading to disciplinary action. “There was a leak and senior officials were not informed of the reforms,” he added, adding that several officials would be removed from their positions as a result, Reuters reported.Rodriguez said three company officials have already lost their jobs over their failure to report the spill, which began in February and led to crude oil spilling onto beaches in March.Over the past weeks, officials have scrambled to pinpoint the source of the leak, with previous investigations in late March focusing on oil tankers passing through the area before the leak was identified near the Abkaton field.The Gulf of Mexico oil spill in early March extended more than 600 kilometers (373 miles), including seven protected nature reserves, Mexican authorities said Thursday.
Authorities said the leak was linked to three possible sources, including a yet-to-be-identified ship and two natural leak points.Earlier in March, Navy Secretary Raymundo Morales said satellite images and inspections had identified three sources: a ship anchored off the coast of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz, a geological seep site known as “Chapotera” located 8 kilometers away, and another natural seep in the Bay of Campeche.
He added that the identity of the ship had not yet been determined, as 13 ships in the area had not been searched at that time.“These oil spills have a constant natural release, however, there has been a greater influx of pollutants in the past month,” Morales said.Authorities said about 430 tons of hydrocarbons have been recovered so far. They also reported that the spill affected seven protected nature reserves across Veracruz and Tabasco, although Environment Minister Alicia Bárcena said no serious environmental damage had been detected.Environmental authorities said six species, including sea turtles, birds and fish, were contaminated. The National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANB) said the clean-up operations were carried out across multiple protected sites, including Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Veracruz Reef System National Park, and Sintla Wetlands Biosphere Reserve.
