A oil spill is worrying California, after a pipeline failure spilled at least 126,000 gallons of oil into the Pacific off the coast of Orange County, creating a 13-square-mile oil slick. The New York Times writes it reporting how dead fish and birds have run aground in some areas, while efforts are underway to try to contain the slick that stretches from Huntington Beach to Newport Beach. According to local officials, the leak occurred three miles off the coast of Newport Beach for one failure in an oil pipeline connected to an offshore oil platform called Elly, operated by Beta Offshore.
The US Coast Guard said the crews “recovered” about 3,150 gallons of oil. Fourteen boats were involved in the cleanup and a floating barrier was created to help contain the oil. Huntington Beach closed, where the third day of the annual Pacific Airshow was canceled. Just the day before, around 1.5 million people had gathered on the waterfront to watch the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds. Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr said in a press conference that the spill was “one of the most devastating situations that our community has faced in recent decades “.