As efforts continue in the United States to control the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, dubbed the worst environmental crisis ever in the US, another oil spill across the world is threatening a rich marine life habitat.

AFP is reporting that an oil spill in the Red Sea, off the shore of Egypt, is getting environmentalists worried about the weak regulations on offshore drilling.

How as if the the oil spill itself is not bad enough, the company responsible, which remains unnamed for legal reasons, did not report the spill for several days. The incidence was only discovered when oil began showing up on the popular tourist beaches in the area.

The Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Agency, a non-governmental organisation, is calling the event “catastrophic.”

The Res Sea is one of the richest marine areas, buzzing with wildlife from coral reefs to large dolphins and other exotic creatures. Many areas of the coast in Egypt are actually protected areas, and the oil is seeping into those too.

The economic value of the beaches there, which attracts millions of tourists annually has prompted authorities to take action. Ministers have quickly flocked to the area to see the damage done and overlook efforts to stop the spill.

Obviously this spill is much smaller than the Gulf of Mexico one. The ministers are reporting that the spill is “under control” now and cleaning up is taking place.

Personally, I remain skeptic. I also will wait and see if the oil company will be held accountable for the damage being caused. Yes the area is economically lucrative, but the environmental damage such an oil spill can cause in the region cannot be underestimated.