A major clean-up operation is continuing in Galway harbour following a spillage of home heating oil from Statoil¿s Leeside facility this morning.
The company says a full investigation into the incident has begun and they are working closely with harbour authorities to contain the spill.
A slick stretching for several miles could be seen and booms were put in place to contain the spill which threatens a colony of swans. The Harbour Master Captain Brian Sheridan expressed concern about their welfare.
It is thought a faulty valve in a storage tanker was responsible for allowing the oil to leak. The quantity of the spillage has not yet been established.