Coast Guard: Divers find undersea pipeline damage

Authorities say the pipeline that leaked tens of thousands of gallons oil into the water off Southern California was split open and apparently dragged along the ocean floor.

Coast Guard Capt. Rebecca Ore said Tuesday that divers determined about 4,000 feet of the pipeline was "laterally displaced" by about 105 feet.

Officials said Monday that they were considering whether a ship's anchor might have caused the oil spill that has fouled beaches in Orange County.

The Coast Guard says it did not investigate initial reports of the spill for nearly 12 hours because it didn't have enough corroborating evidence.

IMAGE: AP