Map of spill area off of Olympic Penninsula, northern Washington coast

Date of incident: July 22, 1991.

Location: Off the northern coast of Washington State, approximately 25 miles northwest of Cape Flattery.

Trustees:

• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS)
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• Washington State Department of Ecology
• Makah Indian Tribe 

Case status: Settled December 13, 1994. Restoration completed: August 1, 2006.

Overview: On July 22, 1991, the Chinese freighter Tuo Hai collided with the Japanese fishing vessel Tenyo Maru approximately 25 miles northwest of Cape Flattery, off the northern coast of Washington State, and a short distance north of the United States-Canada border, in the Canadian exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Tenyo Maru quickly sank in about 90 fathoms of water (540 feet). At the time of the collision, the vessel had approximately 354,800 gallons of intermediate fuel oil and 97,800 gallons of diesel aboard, which began to be released as the vessel sank. The resulting slick was carried south and east by currents and wind and ultimately affected much of the Washington and a portion of the Oregon coasts.