Trinidad and Tobago has arrested the tugboat Solo Creed, linked to a severe oil spill that occurred on February 7. The vessel was apprehended in Angola as part of the government's efforts to recoup a staggering $244 million in cleanup costs.
The incident began when authorities discovered an oil slick from a capsized barge, the Gulfstream, near Tobago’s west coast. The slick rapidly spread, impacting hundreds of kilometers of coastline, reaching the east coast of Bonaire and later affecting Aruba and Grenada.
The Solo Creed and Gulfstream had previously been known for transporting Venezuelan oil. Following the Gulfstream's capsizing, investigations by the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian and Bellingcat revealed that Solo Creed had been arrested on May 11 in Angola for breaching the nation’s offshore oil security zone.
Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of Energy emphasized its commitment to holding the vessel's owners accountable for the environmental damage and harm to local livelihoods caused by the spill.