Oiled seabirds linked to 63-year-old sunken vessel

Nine seabirds covered in oil were found on beaches between Monterey and Santa Cruz last December. The birds were given to the SPCA of Monterey County, Native Animal Rescue and International Bird Rescue for treatment.
Samples of oiled feathers from the birds were sent to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN), Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) lab, for chemical testing. It was determined that the oil samples were consistent with oil from the SS Jacob Luckenbach that sunk in 1953 just 17 miles southwest of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The birds that were collected on Monterey and Santa Cruz beaches in December have been conclusively linked to the sunken wreckage of a cargo ship that sank six decades ago. The CDFW and OSPR report that” four of the birds died, while three have been released and two remain in care.”
In a large-scale oil removal project in which more than 100,000 gallons of fuel oil were removed from the Luckenbach in 2002, the divers failed to reach 29,000 gallons. Since the removal team was unable to access that oil, they attempted to seal it from leakage. However sometimes in winter months, oil releases from the Luckenbach. That is what is thought to have occurred in December, 2015, and some of the birds damaged from the oil were found on our Santa Cruz shores.
OSPR and (OWCN), continue to monitor this leakage situation and attempts to rescue any wildlife that may be affected. They request that anyone observing injured wildlife should not approach or touch the animals. Please report the exact location and condition of the animal to OWCN at (877) 823-6926.
Because the responsible party associated with this shipwreck no longer exists, funds from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund managed by the U.S. Coast Guard were granted for projects intended to compensate for injuries caused by oil leaks from the vessel. The Luckenbach Trustee Council was established and awarded $22.9 million to implement 13 restoration projects. The Trustee Council includes U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the National Park Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and CDFW. For more information on the projects, please see: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=115859.