Oil Spill Kills 400 Birds in San Francisco Bay  
Tuesday, November 13th, 2007

Photo from National Geographic News

Last Wednesday, the ship MV Cosco Busan crashed, resulting in an oil spill that killed about 400 birds in San Francisco Bay, California.  Yesterday, the U.S. attorney in San Francisco announced that a federal criminal investigation has been opened to determine whether or not the captain and crew violated federal maritime laws.  "Human error factors" he said, were likely involved.

The Cosco Busan was leaving Oakland, CA during a storm, headed for South Korea, when it collided with a tower that supports the western portion of the Bay Bridge.  The ship suffered a break over 200 feet long, causing 58,000 gallons of heavy-duty bunker oil to pour out into the ocean.

Certain lawmakers have criticized the Coast Guard's response, as the Guard initially reported that just 140 gallons were spilled.  Adm. Thad Allen of the Coast Guard said yesterday that despite the initial miscommunication, it did not affect their response.

"You had a completely manned ship with a pilot, all the navigation and sensors," he said.  "There were probably some human error factors, but we need to determine the facts, because there's no reason a ship like that should have collided with a bridge."

"Response was set into play within an hour of the event itself."  He added that heavy fog and damage to the ship's tanks were a factor in the misreporting of how much oil had actually been leaked.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency to obtain funds to clean up the spill.  There was no structural damage to the bridge.

The Oiled Wildlife Care Network is posting and updating volunteer opportunities and ways to donate on their site.  The International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) is also housing the birds while they are cleaned and assisting with massive rescue and rehabilitation efforts.

   

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