The diesel and oil spill caused by the sinking of the Montes y Sabino fishing vessel off the coast of Telde (Gran Canaria) on Wednesday evening, is drifting southward, parallel to the island, and is not expected to affect beaches or the coastline unless conditions change.
The Director General of Emergencies for the Canary Islands Government, Fernando Figuereo, stated in a press conference that navigation restrictions have not been imposed and that conditions remain “favourable” for the spill to continue drifting away from the coast.
He emphasised that constant monitoring will continue to ensure there is no unexpected impact on the shore.
The spill spans a stretch of sea between 100 and 150 metres wide and 1.8 kilometres long (approximately one nautical mile). Given that diesel is a lighter hydrocarbon, its dispersion is being facilitated through mechanical intervention by Maritime Rescue vessels near the coast of Arinaga (southeast Gran Canaria).
Although the current situation is not considered alarming, authorities remain on high alert. A risk of contamination alert has been issued for five municipalities: Telde, Agüimes, Ingenio, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, and San Bartolomé de Tirajana, where surveillance teams have been deployed.
Emergency Plans Activated
The National Maritime Plan remains at “emergency level 1,” and the Canary Islands’ Territorial Emergency Plan (PLATECA) is maintaining an “alert” status to monitor the spill’s impact. Fishing restrictions have been imposed in the affected municipalities.
While vessels in the vicinity have been notified of the incident, there are currently no restrictions on navigation or swimming in nearby beaches.
Additionally, real-time information systems are coordinating with local water desalination plants in case mitigation measures become necessary. The Canary Islands Government has assured that emergency response efforts between state and regional authorities are well-coordinated.
Although favourable weather conditions provide some reassurance, Figuereo stressed that monitoring will continue closely. If necessary, further measures will be implemented, with reconnaissance flights scheduled throughout the day and another situation assessment planned for Friday morning.
Cause of the Sinking and Ongoing Investigations
Initial investigations suggest that the fire aboard Montes y Sabino, which led to its sinking, may have been caused by an electrical failure while en route from the Port of La Luz to mainland Spain.
At 5:40pm on Wednesday, authorities received reports of a fire on the 19-metre wooden fishing vessel approximately 5.5 kilometres off the coast near the Taliarte dock (Telde). The three crew members managed to evacuate and were rescued unharmed by the cargo vessel Amber G.
The boat was carrying 2,000 litres of diesel, 50 litres of oil, and three butane cylinders, one of which exploded during the fire. By 10:20pm, reports confirmed that the boat had sunk, likely settling at a depth of 400 to 500 metres. Authorities do not rule out the possibility of debris surfacing at some point.
Maritime Rescue’s Helimer helicopter initially detected an oil slick drifting southeast, off the coast of Ingenio. By Thursday, the slick had moved even further south, towards Agüimes, east of the Arinaga port, confirming its gradual drift away from the island.
