Major oil spill washes ashore in California, closing beaches

A large oil spill off the California coast began washing ashore at Huntington Beach over the weekend after an oil rig pipeline was breached, leaving dead fish and birds strewn on the sand, local and federal officials said.

An estimated 126,000 gallons, or 3,000 barrels, had spread into an oil slick covering about 13 square miles of the Pacific Ocean.

The oil slick was impacting almost six miles of coastline from the Huntington Beach pier to the Balboa pier. Beaches were closed to swimming and a local air show was canceled, although some people were undeterred from setting up chairs on the beach to enjoy a sunny Sunday or strolling along the pier.

Officials said they were investigating the cause of the spill and the type of oil involved.

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