Cargo Ship Hits Bridge, Spills Oil into San Francisco Bay

The collision damaged the 900-foot container carrier Cosco Busan, allowing 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel to spill into the bay. CALTRANS has confirmed there is no structural damage to the bridge.

Two overflights conducted this morning showed that oil has now spread as far south as Hunters Point, east of Treasure Island and Angel Island, up through Raccoon Straits and Brook Island along the San Francisco city waterfront and past the Golden Gate Bridge as far north as Tennessee Point in Marin County.

Marine Spill Response Corporation and the National Response Center report about 8,000 gallons of the oil have been recovered.

Due to potential health concerns, Baker Beach, Fort Point, Crissy Field, China Beach, Kirby Cove, Rodeo Beach, Muir Beach and Angel Island shoreline are closed to the public. The ferries are still running to Angel Island.

A U.S. Coast Guard boat pulls alongside the damaged Cosco Busan now at anchor in San Francisco Bay. (Photo courtesy U.S. Coast Guard)

More than 200 people from federal, state and local agencies and nonprofit organizations are responding to the Cosco Busan spill.

First, fuel was transferred from the compromised tanks to stop the leaking and the vessel has been moved to an anchorage in the bay.

Clean up actions have begun to remove the fuel from the bay. There are five skimmers in the bay and three skimmers outside of the Golden Gate Bridge working to recover spilled oil. A skimmer is a mechanized oil recovery system that uses a belt made from a material that attracts oil.

Crews have placed 18,000 feet of boom around the Bay Area to protect the beaches and wildlife.

All crewmembers and the pilot that were onboard the Cosco Busan at the time of the accident were alcohol tested within the required two hour time limit. The results of the tests were negative.

All crewmembers involved in the navigation of the Cosco Busan including the pilot provided samples to be drug tested within the first few hours. The results for the drug samples will not be available until early next week.

The Bay Air Quality Management District has been conducting ambient air sampling to determine if there is any threat to public health. So far, these tests have not shown any significantly elevated levels of volatile organic compounds in the areas surrounding the spill.

"The Air District is responding to odor complaints and monitoring air quality in the area to ensure air quality is safe," said Jack Broadbent, the Air District's Executive Officer.

"Although the results from the monitoring show that the levels of hydrogen sulfide do not pose a threat to public health, it's prudent to minimize your exposure and stay away from the spill areas and avoid contact with bay waters," Broadbent said. The ambient air levels observed should not result in any long-term adverse health impacts.

University of California-Davis wildlife experts are leading the rescue of oiled birds. Three veterinarians and a veterinary technician arrived at Fort Mason Wednesday to organize the rescue effort and begin treating injured birds.

By this afternoon, there were 21 seabirds being treated, all of them surf scoters, according to UC Davis veterinarian Michael Ziccardi, director of the California Oiled Wildlife Care Network.

Jonna Mazet, a UC Davis veterinarian and international authority on the rescue and treatment of oiled wildlife, has said in the past that for every oiled seabird that is found washed ashore, an estimated 10 to 100 birds died at sea.

The public is asked to report any injured and or oiled wildlife and not to approach or handle as there may be safety concerns.

The Oiled Wildlife reporting hot line number is 877-823-6926. The oil sightings and claims number is 985-781-0804. The public information hotline is 415-399-7305.

The Coast Guard is conducting an investigation as to the cause of this incident.

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