Sheen report; Off San Diego, CA

Off San Diego, CA | 2011-Jun-29

Initial Notification: During mid-morning of 29 June 2011, USCG Sector San Diego contacted the NOAA Hazmat Duty Officer about a 27mile sheen report offshore. Follow-up information indicated that the report had originated from a Customs & Border Patrol overflight at 0830hrs (Pacific) describing a 27mile by 1,000 foot feature that was “blue-gray” in color starting at 32deg 36.400N, 117deg 57.850W and continuing to 32deg 36.700N, 117deg 25.830W. A separate vessel report of a fuel smell in the vicinity was provided during the early afternoon. Sector San Diego requested NOAA trajectory support to direct an overflight at 1700hrs and to get a sense of approximate time and location of landfall, in the event the reported feature persists. NESDIS also obtained imagery from two satellite passes during the day that appeared consistent with an anomaly in the area.