Americas News
Bunker Spill Off Vancouver
Clean up operations are underway on the West Coast of Canada after a naval vessel spilled 30,000 litres (about 27 metric tonnes) of naval distillate marine fuel (F76) in waters between Vancouver Island and the area's Lower Mainland.
The incident involving HMCS Calgary happened in the Strait of Georgia on Saturday morning, local media reports.
It is understood that booms and pads are readily available for cleanup, but it is thought the fuel will evaporate naturally.
"F76 is a marine distillate. It is light in nature and is extremely similar to kerosene. This type of fuel will readily evaporate in the marine setting," navy spokeswoman Lt. Melissa Kia was quoted as saying.
"The response is ongoing until we have confirmation that everything is good."
An investigation has been launched by Maritime Forces Pacific to determine the cause of the spill.
Bunker spills have become a sensitive issue in Vancouver following after a spill from bulk carrier M/V Marathassa in 2015 that occurred in the popular English Bay area.
