Tugboat Spills Oil in Halifax River

The U.S. Coast Guard is conducted a first-light assessment survey Thursday of a tugboat oil spill on the Halifax River near Ormond-by-the-Sea. 

The tug Tutahaca was reported to be leaking bilge oil into the river Wednesday.

A Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew was directed to launch to conduct an overflight assessment survey of the river.

Marine Environmental Response and Sea Tow arrived on scene with the tugboat at approximately 11 p.m. Wednesday and deployed 600-feet of containment boom and more than 1,500-feet of absorbent boom around the affected area.

The cause of the leak is under investigation.