Texas oil spill traps cruise ships in Galveston Bay

Texas oil spill traps cruise ships in Galveston BayReports have shown that a serious oil spill has trapped at least three cruise ships as it closed shipping channel connecting Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico for the second day, according to the Coast Guard.

A barge carrying almost 1 million gallons of heavy oil collided with a ship in the Houston Ship Channel at Texas City and caused the dangerous oil spill. The barge tank containing 168,000 gallons of oil was damaged in the accident and the oil was spilled into the water. The Coast Guard said that it is now known as to how much oil was spilled into the sea.

Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Sam Danus has said that workers were skimming up the oil but said that it is not known when the channel will reopen for the ships. Officials said that more than six miles of containment were used to protect sensitive wetlands and wildlife habitats in the country. Reports showed that 25 other vessels including cruise ships were waiting to enter the channel from the Gulf of Mexico while one cruise ship and 34 other ships were waiting to leave Galveston Bay.