Picture Worth A Thousand Words: Boy Went In To Clean The Ocean, Came Out Smeared In Oil Instead

In September, a massive amount of oil was spilt near the beaches along the coast of Brazil, Brazil's northeastern state of Bahia confirmed. As a result, crude oil has polluted over 130 beaches of the country. Hundreds of Brazilians came forward to help clean up the beaches. They have been using plastic gloves, spades and wheelbarrows to get the tar out of the water.

AFP

This oil spill is being considered the largest till date, in Brazil¡¯s history. Among the pictures of volunteers helping the government, one has stood out and is going viral.

AFP

It is the image of 13-year-old Everton Miguel dos Anjos, who can be seen in waist-high water, covered in filth, his body covered in oil and a look of exasperation on his face.

The image was reportedly clicked by an AFP stringer at Itapuama beach in Cabo de Santo Agostinho, in Pernambuco state, as the child came out of the sea, covered in oil that has been spreading along the coast since early September.

AFP

Dos Anjos¡¯s mother apparently scolded him as she saw the viral images. He reportedly said, "I had asked her permission to help clean the beach and she said yes, so long as I did not get dirty.¡±

Well, he looks anything but, not dirty.

However, four days after the picture was taken, the children were no longer allowed to help, but most of the beach was rid of the oil.

AFP

The oil spill has reportedly spread along 2,250 kilometers (1,400 miles) of coast, maligning beautiful beaches and hurting tourism that affects almost 200 towns.