Unknown Oil Slick; Cameron, Louisiana

Cameron, Louisiana | 1991-May-01

Initial Notification: On May 1, 1991, the United States Coast Guard Marine Safety Office (MSO) Port Arthur, Texas received reports of a large oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico about 120 nautical miles due south of Cameron, Louisiana. An overflight confirmed the presence an oil slick measuring approximately 20 miles long by 1 mile wide near the sunken research vessel GECO APOLLO. The GECO APOLLO had been lost earlier in the year with 144,000 gallons of diesel fuel onboard. Wind at the scene was out of the east-southeast at 15 to 25 knots, swinging more to the east as the day progressed. USCG district 8.