Oil spill investigation widens, several leads found
Data being sifted through for more information on the spill
CALIFORNIA (KYMA, KECY/CNN) - Investigations on the recent oil spill that covered California's coastline has widened. The pipeline damage that caused the spill has been discovered to have happened a lot earlier than expected.
US Coast Guard Jason Neubauer stated, "We're fairly certain that there was one at least initiating incident that occurred several months to a year ago of an anchor drag situation."
A 13 inch split from a pipeline miles away from the coast has released over 130 thousand gallons of oil into the ocean, with currents washing up the oil on California beaches.
Investigators are currently looking through footage, photographs, and other data from the past year to find an exact cause of the disaster.
"That data will take some time to review, and we already have several leads," said Neubauer.
The oil is expected to move closer to the San Diego and Orange County area, with residents advised to avoid the ocean waters.
Nathan Fletcher, Chair, San Diego County Board of Supervisors, said, "If these tar balls are tied back to the oil spill in Orange County, at that point as a county we would declare a local state of emergency in order to access state and local funds."
