Diesel spill spotted in Vancouver's English Bay

Coast Guard says slick is non-recoverable and already starting to break up

Image | Large slick English Bay

Caption: The City of Vancouver says the spill appears to be diesel fuel. (Bryce Westlund/SKY Helicopters)

A diesel spill that was spotted in English Bay by Sky Helicopters, a Vancouver tour company, on Friday has been determined to be more of a nuisance than a threat to the marine environment.

Image | Large slick English Bay

Caption: Sky Helicopters took this photo of a large slick spotted in English Bay on Friday. (Bryce Westlund/SKY Helicopters)

At its height, the impressive-looking slick went all the way from English Bay, near the entrance of False Creek, toward Kitsilano beach prompting responses from the Coast Guard and the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation, which sent a vessel to the scene.
False Creek Ferries says it alerted authorities at 10:30 a.m. PT.

Image | Large slick English Bay

Caption: The Coast Guard and the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation responded to the spill but quickly determined it did not pose a threat to the marine environment. (Bryce Westlund/SKY Helicopters)

Michelle Imbeau, the communications advisor for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said the Coast Guard has determined the sheen is non-recoverable and will evaporate on its own, so it is not taking further action.
The City of Vancouver has confirmed it's already beginning to break up.
CBC videographer David Horemans, who was sent to the scene, says he noticed the smell of diesel getting stronger as he approached the Burrard bridge.
Meanwhile park rangers and Vancouver Aquarium staff were monitoring the situation from English Bay. The aquarium said the source of the spill has yet to be determined.

Image | Large slick

Caption: The source of the diesel spill has yet to be determined, but the smell got stronger towards Burrard bridge. (David Horemans/CBC)