Environmental Crisis: Gran Canaria Beaches Shut Down Amidst Oil Spill

An oil spill off Gran Canaria led to the closure of several beaches and the declaration of an environmental emergency. The spill occurred during a vessel's refueling at La Luz port, dispersing up to 3 metric tons of low-sulfur oil. Authorities are deploying resources to contain the damage.

An oil spill off the Spanish island of Gran Canaria forced local authorities to close several beaches in the popular holiday destination on Thursday and declare an environmental emergency.

Emergency services said on social messaging platform X that they were alerted on Wednesday night of the accidental spill during a vessel's refueling stop at La Luz port of Las Palmas, the island's capital. It involved a maximum of 3 metric tons of IFO 180, which is designated as a Very Low Sulphur Oil. The name of the vessel was not disclosed.

According to the president of Gran Canaria's governing council, Antonio Morales, the oil slick was approximately 2 km (1.2 miles) long and 400 m (1,300 feet) wide. Morales said the slick was moving south towards the neighbouring Telde municipality, pushed by winds. Currents were so far preventing it from affecting a nearby drinking water production plant, but it was still unclear whether the oil would reach land.

The beaches of La Restinga, Palos, San Borondon and El Baranquillo were closed to the public as the oil approached the coast, Telde's town hall said on X, while a helicopter, drones and a maritime rescue boat were helping emergency services manage the spill. "This contamination sadly has a considerable magnitude, which is why so many resources have been deployed," Telde's mayor Juan Antonio Pena told Reuters.

"Something like this is preventable. We will demand accountability because it harms the environment and we cannot allow it to ever happen again," Pena said.

(With inputs from agencies.)