An investigation is underway after a fuel spill was spotted in the Prince Rupert Harbour.
Resident Rachel Ernst spotted a potential spill early Tuesday morning and reported it to the Prince Rupert Coast Guard and RCMP. It took a few hours, but it was finally confirmed there was a small oil spill just outside of Rushbrook.
Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) communications manager James Cain said the correct authorities, including the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC), have been notified and are currently dealing with the cleanup of the spill.
"The WCMRC is handling it right now, which is exactly what they are there for," he said.
There is currently no information available on from where the spill came or its cause.
Cain added that while the PRPA is always on the lookout for potential spills, it is the Coast Guard that would lead any operations. The City and RCMP also stated they would take a backseat during any spill investigation.
Although there was an actual oil spill this time around, Cain said there have been many false alarms in the past, ironically due to the preventative safety measure designed to protect the water from spills鈥攁n oil spill boom.
"The boom is basically a surrounding to protect from any spills, and we've had a few people who have believed there's a spill happening when in fact it's a safety precaution for any fuelling," Cain said. "If an error was made, the boom is there just in case to stop it before it becomes a problem."
The WCMRC and Coast Guard are currently investigating and will provide updates as soon as they become available, they said.
