VANCOUVER - An oil slick has been spotted north of the tiny B.C. coastal community of Hartley Bay, near where a B.C. Ferries vessel foundered and sank more than a year ago.
The slick, which is estimated to be more than a kilometre long, has been spotted near the sunken Queen of the North.
B.C. Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall said Sunday that the oil sheen was about five kilometres north of the community, which is in turn north of the sunken ferry.
It's not clear whether the sheen is originating from the ferry, she said.
The corporation conducted two overflights of the area on Saturday with its environmental engineer.
Marshall said the fuel is so diluted that a sample could not be taken and it's expected the oil will evaporate.
Residents of Hartley Bay village have long expressed dissatisfaction with efforts to ensure that all the fuel is removed from the sunken ferry.
It has been estimated that as much as 150,000 litres of fuel remains in the wreck, which lies in more than 400 metres of water.
Band chief Robert Hill has said the council would consider legal action.
