Australian energy firm Santos is accused of being responsible for last year’s oil spill off the coast of Western Australia that allegedly caused the death of dolphins.
According to the BBC, in the testimony of a confessor read in parliament yesterday, it was claimed that dead dolphins were found near the oil spill caused by Santos in March 2022.
The testimony of the confessor, a former Santos employee, was read by independent Senator David Pocock.
Saying that the Lowendal Islands, located about 75 kilometres off the coast of Western Australia, are known for their “pristine white sandy beaches, spectacular blue turquoise water and abundant marine and bird life”, the confessor testified that sea snakes “writhed in agony” and marine life was damaged after the spill.
Stating that he was shocked by Santos’ public statement after the leak, the confessor said, “Tens of thousands of litres of oil in the ocean, dead dolphins and sea snakes. How could this be insignificant?” he said.
Santos is alleged to have violated his obligations by delaying in sending environmental inspectors to the leak site after the incident.
Santos, who has denied in the past that the deaths in question were linked to the leak, has not yet commented on the issue.
