An oil pipeline leaked fuel into Bailey's Bay yesterday.

Director of the Department of Environmental Protection, Dr. Fred Ming, said a pipeline which supplies fuel oil to BELCO had leaked from an underground valve, and that oil had collected in a manhole. This then seeped out into the ground and into Bailey's Bay.

Dr. Ming said: "At this point it is not possible to determine the quantity of oil which has leaked from the pipe, but the Department of Environmental Protection along with the oil company are already working to clean up the spill.

"Oil spill boom has been deployed around the site to prevent the spread of oil on the water, and absorbent pads have been set out to collect the leaked oil. The leak has been fixed, so there is currently no oil escaping from the pipeline."

Dr. Ming added that a recent oil spill exercise, 'Operation Dragon', had been "very valuable in assisting with the management of this spill".

The Ministry of the Environment and Department of Environmental Protection will update the public on the leak.