Gulf of Mexico oil spill spread hundreds of miles, killed wildlife and polluted Mexican reserves

MEXICO CITY (AP) — An oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in early March spread more than 600 kilometers (373 miles), including to seven nature reserves, and originated from a vessel yet to be identified and two “natural seepages,” Mexican authorities announced Thursday.

Authorities, however, ruled out the possibility of severe environmental damage from the spill off coast of the eastern state of Veracruz.

The release of the preliminary findings came after weeks of controversy surrounding the lack of transparency in the case.

Navy secretary, Admiral Raymundo Morales, said satellite image analysis and inspections of the area identified three sources of the spill: a vessel anchored off the coast of the port city of Coatzacoalcos, in the eastern state of Veracruz; a geological site where crude oil naturally seeps, known as a “chapopotera,” located 8 kilometers (5 miles) from that port; and another natural seepage located in the Bay of Campeche.

Morales said at a press conference that the vessel has not yet been identified because, as of early March, there were 13 ships sailing in the area that had not yet been inspected.

He also admitted that the source of the spill “remains active,” and that one of the main sources is estimated to be the “natural seeps in Cantarell, in the Bay of Campeche.”

“These oil seeps have a constant, natural emission; however, there has been a greater flow of contaminants in the last month,” he said.

Five months earlier, heavy rains and flooding caused a pipeline rupture and a spill, also in Veracruz, that extended for 8 kilometers (5 miles) along the Pantepec River.

In the March spill, Morales reported that the oil covered an area of ​​about 600 kilometers (373 miles) including 200 kilometers (125 miles) of coastline in the southern states of Veracruz and Tabasco. To date, “430 tons of hydrocarbons” have been collected.

Secretary of the Environment Alicia Bárcena reported that the spill affected seven protected natural reserves in the states of Veracruz and Tabasco, but insisted that “we have not detected severe environmental damage.”

Environmental authorities have identified six species, including sea turtles, birds and fish, that were contaminated by the spill.

The National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp) reported Wednesday in a statement that hydrocarbons have been collected in the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, the Veracruz Reef System National Park, the Lechuguillas Sanctuary, the Totonacapan Beaches Sanctuary, the Lobos Tuxpan Reef System Flora and Fauna Protection Area, and south of the Rancho Nuevo Beach Sanctuary in the state of Veracruz. Cleanup efforts were also carried out in the Centla Wetlands Biosphere Reserve in the state of Tabasco.

The international organization Oceana, dedicated to ocean conservation, said this week in a statement that, according to reports from communities belonging to the Gulf of Mexico Reef Corridor Network, the spill killed sea turtles, a manatee and various fish species, and damaged 17 reefs.

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Clumps of oil residue lie on the shore after fishing outings were suspended because of an oil spill that Mexican authorities said originated from an unidentified vessel and two natural oil seeps along the Gulf coast in Salinas, Mexico, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

A fisherman untangles a net after suspending fishing outings because of an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that authorities said originated from an unidentified vessel and two natural oil seeps in Salinas, Mexico, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Fisherman Roberto Santos sits on the shore after suspending fishing because of an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that authorities said originated from an unidentified vessel and two natural oil seeps in Salinas, Mexico, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Fishermen untangle a net after suspending fishing trips because of an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that authorities said originated from an unidentified vessel and two natural oil seeps in Salinas, Mexico, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Fisherman Leopoldo Salgado holds clumps of oil residue collected along the shore days after an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that authorities said originated from an unidentified vessel and two natural oil seeps in Salinas, Mexico, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Kevin McGonigle quickly proved that the Detroit Tigers' made the right call by putting him on their opening day roster.

The 21-year-old rookie hit the first big league pitch he saw for a bases-loaded, two-run double in the Tigers' four-run first inning against San Diego on Thursday. He kept on going, getting hits in his next two at-bats as well as scoring his first big league runs.

He added a fourth hit in the ninth inning and finished 4 for 5 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the Tigers' 8-2 win.

“I guess I've got to start not sleeping before every game. Last night, I got barely any sleep,” McGonigle said. “I'm just happy we won today and I'm looking forward to keep helping this team as much as I can this year.”

He said he got about four hours of sleep, “but woke up feeling great, ready to go.”

McGonigle was the youngest Tigers player named to an opening day roster since Omar Infante in 2003.

And then he became the youngest Tigers player with three hits in his debut since Shannon Penn on April 28, 1995.

McGonigle kept the line moving as the Tigers took advantage of Nick Pivetta's wildness in support of two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.

Batting sixth, he came up for the first time as a big leaguer after Pivetta threw four straight balls to Spencer Torkelson to bring in the Tigers' first run with one out on a sunny, 74-degree afternoon at Petco Park. He drove the first pitch he saw down the right field line to bring in Colt Keith and Riley Greene for a 3-0 lead.

“First pitch, cutter up and in. I knew he was going up with something firm and he threw it right in the spot I was looking at and I was happy to pull it down the line,” McGonigle said.

“I was nervous,” he added. “It's weird. I think right when I started my load to hit, it went away. I felt great out there, very confident. I'm looking to keep that going.”

McGonigle followed that with a fly ball off the top of the right field wall in the third and hustled into second for another double to move Spencer Torkelson to third base. They both scored on Parker Meadows' single to left field.

He beat out an infield single to shortstop in the fifth and was aboard for Dillon Dingler's homer that made it 8-0.

McGonigle, who started at third base, finally made an out in the seventh when he popped up to third baseman Manny Machado in shallow left.

Several family members were in attendance and McGonigle planned to give each of his parents a ball that was used in the game.

A first-round pick in the 2023 draft, McGonigle had a hot spring that allowed him to skip Triple-A after playing in just 46 games in AA last season.

“What a debut,” manager A.J. Hinch said.

“He can hit. He won't be as nervous as that at-bat, and if that's the nervous version of him, we're in for a fun year,” the manager added. “I like the fact he was aggressive on his pitch. Obviously a big hit to open up the game a little bit and give us some breathing room. That set the tone for a really good day for him and for us.”

Said Greene: “It looked like that was his, like, 700th game out there. It was pretty impressive to see. It's pretty cool to see.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Detroit Tigers' Dillon Dingler (13) is congratulated by Kevin McGonigle (7) after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of an opening-day baseball game against the San Diego Padres Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) CORRECTS SPELLING OF McGonigle from McGonigal.

Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle (7) celebrates after hitting an RBI double as San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) looks on during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) CORRECTS SPELLING OF McGonigle from McGonigal.

Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle (7) hits a double during the third inning of an opening-day baseball game against the San Diego Padres Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) CORRECTS SPELLING OF McGonigle from McGonigal.

Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle (7) hits a double during the third inning of an opening-day baseball game against the San Diego Padres Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) CORRECTS SPELLING OF McGonigle from McGonigal.

Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle watches his RBI double during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) CORRECTS SPELLING OF McGonigle from McGonigal.