Overview
- A hose malfunction during defueling at Vigor Shipyards caused diesel to spill into a pre-boomed area of Elliott Bay, according to Navy and state officials.
- Containment booms that had been placed around the ship kept most of the fuel from spreading and allowed response teams to limit shoreline impact.
- Recovery crews using portable skimmers, a skimmer boat, and oil-absorbent materials have removed roughly 90 percent of the released diesel and are operating around the clock.
- The U.S. Coast Guard has concluded the Navy was at fault, the Washington State Department of Ecology said, and a formal investigation into the exact cause and volume remains under way.
- Remaining booms and sorbents will stay in place until the last recoverable oil is removed and the destroyer is moved to dry dock, a step that could affect repair scheduling and prompt administrative action.