What's that smell? 7,700 gallons of jet fuel spill into the James River.

The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press staff, The Virginian-Pilot on Feb 15, 2026

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An estimated 7,700 gallons of jet fuel spilled into the James River on Friday afternoon near Newport News Shipbuilding, according to officials.

The spill happened during a refueling operation involving the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy, which is nearing completion at the shipyard, according to a release from the city of Newport News.

Residents of Newport News and Hampton complained Sunday about a strong fuel odor coming off the James.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, local drinking water and tap water remain safe, and there is no impact to public water systems, the Newport News release said. But there is no broader health threat.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is leading the environmental response in coordination with the Coast Guard, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Health, and the cities of Newport News and Hampton.

The responsible party — which wasn’t named — activated an oil spill response company to begin oil containment and recovery operations, according to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, including deploying containment boom, conducting boat-based recovery, and using a vacuum truck to remove captured product.

The cause of the spill remains under investigation.