This is another piece of news that the media in general seems to be turning a blind eye toward.. Choosing no doubt instead, once more, to focus on the latest rugby scores.. - I have to say, whoever it was that said that sport is opium for the masses, sure hit the nail on the head there!
Anyhow, if you haven't heard about it already, more than 2 months ago, an oil rig between Australia and East Timor began leaking oil into the sea at the rough rate of 400 barrels a day..
The exact quantity of oil sludged into the ocean will probably never be told, but satellite images are said to show that the toxic spill has already spread
over 7000 square nautical miles!!..
So far, there have been 3 unsuccessful attempts to plug the leak. (the last one made 3 days ago on Saturday).
It's estimated that up to 15 species of whale and dolphin, more than 30 species of seabird, five species of turtle, and countless fish are the potential victims of the spill. As many as 30,000 sea snakes and 16,000 turtles may have already been affected by the slick. - dead or dieing slow deaths.
Local fishermen who still rely on the dark age rule of live and let die and gluttonously feast on the flesh of fellow beings, report that they are catching dead fish, and are falling sick by eating fish caught in the Timor Sea. They say that by eating the fish they're suffering from skin irritation and illness.
If they could only see that they could be living in paradise if they chose to, with their rich soiled tropical country ideal for the growing of most forms of worldly exotic sweet juicy fruit..
What irks me about this is that the first attempt to plug the leak was made just 10 days ago... I mean, I understand that capping the leak is an extremely complex task.. I believe we're basically talking here about a 25cm hole somewhere under the ocean floor, that's just spewing oil out.. but surely a rescue rig could have gotten there faster, and despite difficulties, had the operation been prioritised more, the toxic spill could, should and would have been stopped by now..
PTTEP Australasia, the company responsible for the leak, has been offered help in capping the leak, but for bizarre reasons known only to themselves, have refused - The government has been asked to force the company to take up the offer.
I've been following this story on the internet over the last few weeks, - about the only decent way to get news these days,- and there seems to be a lot of playing down of just how bad this oil slick is.. even some people claiming that the ocean in that area has hardly any life in it, so what's the big deal?
The news on TV on Saturday, made absolutely no mention of the slick, nor of the bungled attempt to plug the leak..
The Greens claim the environmental impact of the spill has been far greater than the government and the company PTTEP admit..
Want to give your opinion? You can sign a petition here:
http://www.saveourmarinelife.org.au/subscribe/index.php?customlist=oilpetition
