On Jan. 28, 1989, an Argentine ship, the Bahia Paraiso, carrying diesel and airplane fuel ran aground near the U.S. Palmer Station in Antarctica, releasing over 200,000 gallons of diesel fuel. The spill affected phytoplankton, krill, gulls, skuas, cormorants, seals, penguins and limpets in the rocky intertidal zone. Many chicks—some almost ready to fledge—were killed.
The timing coincided with the Bush administration’s plan to submit a new international Antarctic minerals and oil development agreement to the Senate.
Unbelievably, the passengers who were rescued from the wreck (all were) were instructed to keep quiet about the spill. They didn’t.
Will this accident deter the 38 nations who have staked claim to the continent from taking further action on a minerals agreement?
Did it convince them of Antarctica’s vulnerability to the risk of human error?
Or will oil and mineral development proceed?
Editors Note: An article on this topic was published in The Boston Globe, March 5, 1989, titled: “Antarctic spill changes terms of debate on region’s fate,” by Gale Warner. Due to copyright issues, we are unable to reproduce it as published.