A New Zealand-flagged fishing boat has been detained following a large oil spill in a harbour in American Samoa and deficiencies found during a coastguard inspection.
Nearly 2000 litres of diesel is believed to have spilled from the boat, Ocean Breeze inside Pago Pago Harbor, Radio New Zealand International reports.
Coastguard Lieutenant Steven Claskey says the spill was reported by the boat's crew and the coastguard is overseeing the clean-up operation.
It has also detained the boat following an inspection which found that pollution prevention equipment was not operating property.
Lieutenant Claskey says this is the third fishing boat owned by Sanfords to be detained in Pago Pago for deficiencies in the past three months.
