Offshore staff
(Mexico)-A Mexican tanker carrying 950 tons of heavy fuel oil sank in the Gulf of Mexico, but there was no initial spill, according to Mexico's Federal Environmental Protection Bureau.
The bureau, also known as Profepa, said in a statement that theOrion, which belongs to Empresa Naval Mexicana, went down Tuesday approximately 190 mi off Puerto Progreso on the Yucatan Peninsula.
The ship reported having problems on Sunday. Five members of its crew were rescued, but three others are still missing.
Profepa chief Ignacio Loyola has ordered that measures be taken so that in addition to "the priority task of finding the three missing sailors, a close watch be kept on the area to detect any fuel leak that could harm the environment."
"It's almost impossible to get the load out due to the depth at which the ship sank," Profepa said.
Empresa Naval Mexicana said the tanker was hermetically sealed and there was no possibility of a leak due to the cold temperatures at the bottom of the GoM, which should solidify the fuel in the vessel's tanks.
The company said authorities were currently investigating the cause of the shipwreck.
3/30/2006
