Spills · mystery_substance

Mystery oil slick-south coast of pr; guanica-bahia de guayanilla, puerto rico

NOAAORR-7689

issued: 2007-08-30 00:00Z
status: cancelled 2007-09-13 00:00Z
self-cancels: 2007-09-13 00:00Z
authority: NOAA OR&R
sea: Caribbean Sea
position: 17.933, -66.844
source: incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Mystery oil slick-south coast of PR; Guanica-Bahia de Guayanilla, Puerto Rico.
Guanica-Bahia de Guayanilla, Puerto Rico.
1. Starting on August 30th,2007, USCG Sector San Juan began receiving various reports of tarballs and oil slicks in the area of Guanico-Bahia de Guayanilla, Puerto Rico. One oil slick was reported at 0900 local time at Lat/Lon N 17deg 55.95', W 066deg 50.63' as 1 mile offshore. Other various sightings offshore of the southern coast of PR were subsequently reported. Tarballs were reported on beaches as early as 1030 local time the same day. USCG requested a NOAA SSC to respond on-scene to provide scientific support.
2. THREAT: OIL. COMMODITY: UNKNOWN OIL, BUT INCLUDED WEATHERED TARBALLS AND LIGHTER DIESEL LIKE FRACTIONS. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 11500 GALLONS. TAGS: MYSTERY SUBSTANCE.
3. POSITION 17.933N 066.844W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 7689: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/7689

This area · spills & pollution incidents

110 within 180 nm since 1968 · 2 in the last 12 months · 0 in force now

6R9Q+8XF, mayagüez, 00682, puerto rico2026-07-16
Barge defiant grounding; el morro national park, san juan, puerto rico2026-02-09
Calle lindbergh despues blev2025-04-08
P/v runaway grounded on coral reef; southwest of culebra, puerto rico2025-01-10
San juan, puerto rico2024-11-30
151 judith way, christiansted, st croix 00820, usvi2024-08-15

Season · when spills & pollution incidents happen here

month of issue, all years in the archive

Nearby now · within 120 nm

Cabo engano lighthouse 18-36.80N 068-19.50W unlitNav aids · 93.8 nm
Punta laguna light 18-08.3N 068-45.3W unlitNav aids · 109.8 nm

Worldwide now

8 spills & pollution incidents in force · see all

Spills

Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents →

Not for navigation. This is a re-rendering of an official navigational warning for awareness; mariners must use official NAVAREA broadcasts and their national MSI service.