SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif — Ever since Domenic Biagini founded Gone Whale Watching San Diego two years ago, he’s shown San Diegans the beauty of the Pacific Ocean and its wildlife.
"When you’re out on the water every single day, you’re going to see everything the ocean has to throw at you,” said Biagini. “No two trips are alike.”
However, on Saturday, June 19, Biagini spotted something strange.
“This was beyond anything I could have really even imagined," said Biagini on Tuesday.
Biagini hoped to spot some blue whales off of San Clemente Island, which is owned by the United States Navy. However, that’s not exactly what he said he found.
"First, we noticed a smell," he said. "Then we noticed the ocean was starting to look kind of strange. As we kind of made our way further south into the area, we just discovered this just colossally giant area.”
Biagini said he discovered a large diesel fuel slick.
"We couldn’t see the end of it," he said. "It was as far as the eye could see.”
Biagini captured drone video and posted it on social media. Biagini claimed he saw the diesel fuel slick for 50 miles.
According to the EPA, fuel and oil can have devastating impacts on aquatic environments, adding that some organisms "may be seriously injured or even killed."
“The most heartbreaking part was, you know, finding this small little pod of dolphins that was basically just stuck in it," said Biagini. "They didn’t know where to go. Watching them try to swim through this, you know, slicked-out area that was just diesel fuel - that was hard for me to film.”
Biagini said he reached out to several different government organizations, including the United States Coast Guard, which has jurisdiction. Still, many questions remain.
“Why did it happen?" asked Biagini. "Who’s responsible for it and how do we make sure it never happens again?”
News 8 spoke with a spokesperson for the Navy on the phone since the alleged spill is near San Clemente Island. He did not have any official comment at this time. News 8 also reached out to the Coast Guard. As of Tuesday afternoon, we have not heard back yet.
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