Tragic Sinking of Oil Barge in Lake Maracaibo: 2 Dead, 4 Missing

An oil barge operated by a contractor of Venezuelan energy company PDVSA sank in Lake Maracaibo, resulting in two confirmed deaths and four missing individuals. Rescue efforts are ongoing. Such incidents of oil and fuel transport mishaps in the region are becoming increasingly common.

An oil barge operated by a contractor of Venezuelan state-run energy company PDVSA sank in Lake Maracaibo, causing two deaths and four missing individuals, PDVSA reported on Thursday.

Initial sources and an internal company report had noted four fatalities, but PDVSA clarified that rescue operations to locate the missing people are still underway. "PDVSA reports the unfortunate sinking of barge Chantase G of company SOSCA, provider of oil well maintenance services, in Lake Maracaibo due to poor weather conditions," the company stated.

Nineteen people were successfully rescued from the accident site on Thursday morning. Incidents involving oil and fuel barges have been on the rise, as illustrated by a recent fuel oil spill near Tobago from a Venezuelan barge that affected several Caribbean nations in March.

(With inputs from agencies.)