In a puzzling turn of events, an overturned barge was discovered last week near the coast of Tobago, the northern island of the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago. The vessel, which was reported on February 7, was initially found leaking a dark, sticky fluid, with no crew in sight. However, on Wednesday, the government shed some light on the mystery.

According to the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of National Security, the overturned barge was being towed by the tugboat Solo Creed from Panama in Central America to Guyana in South America. However, Guyanese authorities have confirmed that the barge never reached its destination. It remains unknown why the barge overturned and what caused the incident.

Initially, the oil spill was detected approximately four miles north of the barge near the town of Scarborough in Tobago. However, recent satellite imagery from the Tobago Emergency Management Agency has revealed contamination extending much farther out, approximately 48 miles west of the island. The extent of the spill and how much oil remains within the submerged barge remain uncertain.

Efforts to clean up the spill have been underway around the clock, with authorities mobilizing resources to mitigate the environmental impact. Divers attempted to approach the vessel for inspection, but its erratic movement in the shallows created cloudy water, hindering a thorough investigation.

The incident has raised significant environmental concerns, as the potential consequences of a large-scale oil spill in this region could be devastating to marine life and coastal ecosystems. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and working towards containing the oil spill and preventing further damage.

It has been noted that the identification of the vessel as "Gulfstream" has been disputed by other users, as the name has been used for various vessels in the past. Notably, some of these vessels have been dismantled. This further adds to the mystique surrounding the overturned barge.

As investigations continue and cleanup efforts persist, the focus remains on determining the exact cause of the incident, calculating the extent of the oil spill, and minimizing its environmental impact. The Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of National Security, along with international partners, is committed to ensuring that appropriate measures are taken to address this unfortunate incident and prevent similar occurrences in the future.