Ship Spills 58,000 Gallons of Oil Into San Francisco Bay Area Water

An environmental threat has just been released into the San Francisco Bay area after a container ship bumped into a bay bridge support structure. Large amounts of oil are now threatening wildlife in the area.

A container ship bumped into the San Francisco- Oakland Bay Bridge yesterday. There was no real damage to the bridge and some oil was thought to have leaked, but the numbers are worse than initially thought. The coast guard is reporting that 58,000 gallons of oil have leaked and is very visible. At this point, oil is even showing up 40 miles north of San Francisco on beaches. So far there hasn’t been an established plan on how to properly clean up the spill. Helicopters and other Coast Guard vessels are still trying to determine the extent of the oil damage. Some birds are showing up covered in oil. Nine beaches have been closed for potential health issues. There are skimmers out in the Bay sucking up the oil, which has a very visible sheen. Coast Guard members are keeping the spill into proper perspective. "By our guidelines it is a medium-sized spill. But in the San Francisco Bay Area, that is a big deal," said Coast Guard Capt. William Uberti, captain of the Port of San Francisco and the chief federal officer investigating the incident. Currently the ship- Cosco Busan- is anchored at Candlestick Point. After striking a support tower, the ship suffered a large gash. Crew members are currently being investigated and tested for drugs or alcohol involvement.