EspañolSeven days after the oil spill into the Pacific at Ecuador’s northwestern coastal city Esmeraldas, the attorney general has determined that state-run company Petroecuador spilled approximately 500 barrels worth of crude oil into the sea.
The accident affected 147 boats and left some 500 Esmeraldas fishermen out of a job.
“Five hundred barrels were spilled. Samples were taken to be evaluated, and we are going to get the results in 30 days. The responsible ones will be punished for committing this environmental crime,” said Galo Chiriboga Zambrano, in charge of the investigation.
Petroecuador has made no official statement on the amount of crude oil poured into the sea. Initially, however, the company calculated roughly 260 barrels scattered in a three-mile area.
Source: La Hora.