JERUSALEM, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli media reported Saturday that an oil spill has stained all of Israel's shoreline, causing several volunteers in a clean-up effort to be hospitalized after inhaling dangerous fumes.

Media outlets called the spill the worst maritime pollution incident in recent decades. The volunteers rushed to save turtles, fish and other sea species.

Media reported that the authority was mapping the damaged areas.

"It is becoming apparent that the spill is a large and serious event with environmental damage that will take a long time to take care of," read a Facebook post by Shaul Goldstein, head of Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

A source involved in the investigation of the event told the N12 news website that the pollution appears to have been caused by a tanker releasing its waste and oil in an unknown location in the Mediterranean Sea.

Extreme weather conditions in the past week, including strong winds, might have helped push the pollutants towards Israel's shoreline. Enditem

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