Canada oil firm confirms 1,600 bird deaths

(CNN) — Canada-based oil sands company Syncrude acknowledged that 1,600 birds — 1,100 more than initially estimated — drowned after landing on its settling basin in Aurora a year ago.

The ducks died after becoming coated with the residual oil floating on the water surface.

The company has been charged with violating the Migratory Birds Convention Act and the Alberta Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act.

“The drowning of the waterfowl last April shouldn’t have happened and is unacceptable,” said Syncrude’s President and CEO Tom Katinas, according to a statement on the company’s Web site. “There is tremendous resolve in our organization to learn from this experience and help ensure it does not happen again.”

CNN