MEXICO CITY, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was caused by a leak in a pipeline in the Abkatun-Cantarell area, the state-owned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) said Wednesday.
Pemex Director Victor Rodriguez Padilla said that an internal review found mechanical failures and unreported repairs in the pipeline, as well as evidence of a hydrocarbon leak that had previously been denied by operational units.
He said satellite imagery, aerial surveillance and drift modeling confirmed the damage site as the source of the oil slick.
Authorities have launched a coordinated response to contain the spill and mitigate environmental damage. So far, cleanup operations have covered 48 beaches, with about 915 tons of waste collected, including oil mixed with sand, debris and sargassum.
The spill was first detected on Feb. 6, prompting federal agencies to launch monitoring and containment efforts as they continue to assess its environmental impact. ■
