Australia on alert for potential oil spill off Great Barrier Reef

Authorities in Queensland say small patches of oily water seen close to where fisherman earlier reported seeing slick nearly 1km long

Australian authorities remain on alert for a potential oil spill in waters around the Great Barrier Reef despite finding little sign of a reported kilometre-long slick off the north Queensland coast.

Maritime safety authorities in Queensland confirmed that small patches of oily water were seen in waters south of Townsville where a fisherman had earlier reported seeing a slick close to 1km long.