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'Shock' in Bella Bella

Heiltsuk Chief Marilyn Slett is expressing "shock" as spilled diesel oil off Bella Bella broke free of booms that were containing it.

“From the air, it looks like the spill is completely free in the water,” said Slett, who flew over the area Friday.

In a weekend news release labelled 'urgent,' the chief questioned why seaworthy booms weren't put in place immediately after the spill. It's now expected to take at least a day for new equipment to arrive.

Meanwhile, harsh weather that has continually hampered cleanup efforts continues, with gale force winds in the forecast.

The Nathan E. Stewart tug ran aground while pulling an empty fuel barge through Seaforth Channel, about 20 kilometres west of Bella Bella, shortly after midnight on Oct. 13.



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