The Environmental Protection Ministry received a report from the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company on Sunday that there was an oil leak as high as a few dozen liters in the ocean bordering Eilat, according to a Globes reporter sharing the news via social media.
Shani Ashkenazi, the reporter for Globes, tweeted a few days later that the pipeline company carried out a test to locate the leak and the issue was taken care of.
An investigation is being conducted on the incident.
In a Twitter thread, Ashkenazi notes the dangers of such an oil spill, such as the impact it could have on marine life living in the area of the spill.
*נפט הוא עסק מלוכלך* הנה משהו שלא היינו מגלים אם לא היינו שואלים רק ליתר ביטחון, בעקבות שמועה שפשטה באילת. ביום א', בשעות הערב, קיבל המשרד להגנת הסביבה דיווח מחברת קצא"א על אירוע דליפת דלק מקומי בשטח המפעל. מדובר בדליפה של "בין ליטרים בודדים לעשרות", בסמוך למכלי האחסון ביבשה> pic.twitter.com/9HGRMjoHGk
— Shani Ashkenazi | شَني اشكِنزي | שני אשכנזי (@ShaniAshkenazi) February 8, 2022
Just last week, the Environmental Protection Ministry dispatched teams to find any oil patches after the ministry was alerted about such patches being spotted. No oil patches were found in the search.
The ministry will often hold drills as well to practice cleaning ports from oil spills.
Last year, many Israelis, from soldiers to environmental groups and youth movements have helped clean Israel's beaches from numerous oil spills.