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Commercial response equipment was not available on Antigua, St. Kitts, or Nevis.  The
nearest commercial response equipment was located in San Juan and Venezuela.  Local
government agencies and companies aided the cleanup effort on St. Kitts by donating
equipment.  Volunteers and prisoner labor crews helped with the cleanup effort as
well.\\Early in the incident it was difficult to reach U.S. Embassy personnel in Antigua.
Mechanical problems and the difficulty in reaching agency personnel in the area during the
weekend both contributed to the communication problem.  Due to the differences in
electrical current at the cleanup locations, electrical equipment had to be operated while
using a step-down power transformer.  It was recommended that local aircraft should be
used in the event of future spills due to less expensive operating costs compared to the
Coast Guard C-130.  Smaller aircraft are also more readily available and provide a better
observation platform than the C-130.