In Pics | Beaches closed as 126,000 gallons of spilled oil damages California wetlands

A pipeline failure off the coast of Orange County, California, caused at least 126,000 gallons of oil to spill into the Pacific Ocean, creating a 13-square-mile slick that is growing continuously, officials said. Dead fish and birds washed ashore in some places as cleanup crews raced to try to contain the spill, which created a slick that extended from Huntington Beach to Newport Beach.

A pipeline failure off the coast of Orange County, California, caused at least 126,000 gallons of oil to spill into the Pacific Ocean, creating a 13-square-mile slick. Dead fish and birds washed ashore in some places as cleanup crews raced to try to contain the spill, which created a slick that extended from Huntington Beach to Newport Beach. Credit: AFP Photo

The major cause for the leak is still unknown while the officials said it occurred 3 miles off the coast of Newport Beach and involved a failure in a 17.5-mile pipeline connected to an offshore oil platform called Elly that is operated by Beta Offshore. Credit: AFP Photo

The US Coast Guard said in a statement that crews had “recovered” about 3,150 gallons of oil. Fourteen boats were involved in the cleanup effort, and crews had deployed 5,360 feet of boom, a floating barrier that helps contain oil. Credit: AFP Photo

The spill prompted officials to close the beaches in Huntington Beach. Credit: AP/PTI Photo

The oil slick appeared to infiltrate the Talbert Marsh, a 25-acre ecological reserve across from Huntington State Beach that is home to dozens of species of birds, officials said. Credit: AFP Photo

Environmental groups said that the spill underscored the need for the state of California to move away from fossil fuels in favour of renewable energy. Credit: AFP Photo

The spill was not the first of its kind to imperil California’s coastline. In 2015, the Refugio spill near Santa Barbara, the worst in decades for the state, sent more than 100,000 gallons of crude oil spilling mostly into the ocean after an onshore pipeline ruptured. Credit: AFP Photo

Environmentalists point out that oil spills can kill thousands of animals, cost tens of millions of dollars to clean up and contaminate beaches for months. Credit: AFP Photo

Oil floats in the water of the Talbert Marshlands as a 3,000-barrel oil spill, about 126,000 gallons, from an offshore oil rig reaches the shore and sensitive wildlife habitats in Newport Beach, California. Credit: AFP Photo