An oil tanker spilled up to 9 000 litres of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean, an official said.
The coast guard and the state health department categorised the spill on Saturday morning as a minimal one, said Nathan Hokama, spokesperson for Tesoro, which owns the tanker. There were no immediate reports of harm to wildlife.
The spill occurred about 2,4km off the coast of Oahu when a hose line pumping oil from the tanker to a floating buoy disconnected, Hokama said.
”The only thing we know right now is that one of the couplings in the hose separated, which is what it’s supposed to do whenever there’s a strain on the hose,” he said.
Crews from the Clean Islands Council and the Marine Spill Response Corporation helped with clean-up.
The light crude oil may have dissipated quickly because of strong sunshine and choppy waters, Hokama said.
Any potential fines would be assessed based on the results of an investigation, he said. – Sapa-AP