Spills · oil

Off san diego, ca

Mystery Sheen; Off San Diego, Ca · NOAAORR-8450

issued
2012-05-22 00:00Z
status
cancelled 2012-06-05 00:00Z
self-cancels
2012-06-05 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
North Pacific Ocean
position
32.720, -117.597
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Mystery Sheen; Off San Diego, CA.
Off San Diego, CA.
1. On the evening of 22-MAY-2012, the USCG District-11 Command Center contacted their NOAA SSC to report a mystery sheen observed by a USCG helicopter offshore of San Diego, CA at 1814hrs (local time). The observation was described as a 3NM x 3NM rainbow sheen approximately 16.5NM west of Point Loma and approximately 5NM North of the US/Mexican border as depicted by the offshore EEZ boundary. A trajectory estimate was requested to establish whether the sheen might threaten Mexican waters.
2. THREAT: OIL. COMMODITY: RAINBOW SHEEN.
3. POSITION 32.720N 117.597W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 8450: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/8450

This area · spills & pollution incidents

141 within 180 nm since 1957 · 11 in the last 12 months · 1 in force now

57
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
00
05
10
15
20
25
26

Season · when spills & pollution incidents happen here

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

month of issue, all years in the archive

Nearby now · 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.