Mississippi Hit by Tar Mats the 'Size of School Buses'

GEOFF PENDER, MELISSA SCALLAN and DONNA MELTON

LONG BEACH — What appeared to be the largest amount of oily tar to hit the Mississippi Coast at one time was washing in from west of the Long Beach Harbor into the edge of Pass Christian late Wednesday night.

Crews also were removing large amounts of tar balls and patties that washed ashore Wednesday morning on a stretch of Hancock County beach from Nicholson Avenue to Lakeshore Drive.

Harrison County Emergency Manager Rupert Lacy said the material in Harrison County was “tar mats and patties … kind of the consistency of liver.” It was coming in over a 5- to 6-mile stretch from about a mile west of the harbor to the eastern edge of Pass Christian. He said the material was in large mats, floating near the bottom, and breaking up and washing onto the beach in smaller pieces.

Long Beach Fire Chief George Bass, the city’s emergency manager, said Wednesday night there were some tar mats in the water “the size of school buses.”
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