Spills
Mystery spill, cape hatteras; atlantic ocean off of north carolina
NOAAORR-6379
- issued
- 1986-07-15 00:00Z
- status
- cancelled 1986-07-29 00:00Z
- self-cancels
- 1986-07-29 00:00Z
- authority
- NOAA OR&R
- sea
- North Atlantic Ocean
- position
- 35.167, -75.199
- source
- incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z
Original warning text
Mystery Spill, Cape Hatteras; Atlantic Ocean off of North Carolina. Atlantic Ocean off of North Carolina. 1. A floating oil slick in the Atlantic Ocean about 15 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, was reported to the U. S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office (MSO), Hampton Roads on the morning of July 15, 1986. No identification of the source was evident. An overflight by Coast Guard personnel at 1135 estimated the slick to be 25 miles long, one-quarter of a mile wide, and one-quarter of an inch thick. The Coast Guard MSO notified the Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team and the State of North Carolina. USCG district 5. 2. COMMODITY: OIL. 3. POSITION 35.167N 075.199W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6379: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6379
This area · spills & pollution incidents
234 within 180 nm since 1976 · 2 in the last 12 months · 0 in force now
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- XHC9+H6 newport news, va, USA2026-02-16
- Derelict fishing vessel sunk in pamlico sound; buxton, north carolina2025-09-29
- Virginia beach, va2025-04-10
- Norfolk, va, USA2025-03-17
- Fuel leak from containership msc anisha r; virginia beach, virginia2025-03-08
- 6 oil at imtt bulk terminal; elizabeth river, virginia2025-02-14
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month of issue, all years in the archive
Timeline · 2 messages since 1986-07-15 · closed 1986-07-29
- Mystery spill, cape hatteras; atlantic ocean off of north carolina this message1986-07-15 → 1986-07-29
- Cape hatteras, nc1986-07-15 → 1986-07-29
joined by proximity
Nearby now · within 120 nm
Nothing else in force within 120 nm.
Worldwide now
8 spills & pollution incidents in force · see all
Spills
Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents →
Not for navigation. This is a re-rendering of an official navigational warning for awareness; mariners must use official NAVAREA broadcasts and their national MSI service.