Venezuelan tanker sinks with 78000 gallons of diesel on board

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"The Lemuria", a Venezuelan flagged tanker ship has sunk in the Caribbean Sea with 78000 gallons of fuel on board. The ship left the Venezuelan port of Punto Fijo on March 31st on route to the Honduran island of Roatan.

The ship went down near the San Andreas Archipelago to a depth of 4000 meters (13,120 foot) and local authorities are monitoring the sea and preparing for the any contamination of the beaches and reef.

It is reported that a mechanical breakdown lead to the sinking and the crew was forced to abandon ship.

After five days adrift, nine crew members of Honduran nationality were found in a life raft by the “Laura Ann”, a Colombian flagged vessel. The crew was received by the Colombian Navy and transported to San Andreas Island.

At this time, there is no confirmation as to the exact cause of the sinking nor what the environmental impact will be.