YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, January 26 (RIA Novosti) - Hundreds of birds died after fuel leaked into the Aniva Bay from the Sakhalin II plant in the southern Sakhalin Island, Russia's Far East, local divers said on Monday.

"There are hundreds of dead birds...Birds coated with fuel have been washed ashore some three kilometers along the coast. Local residents are trying to collect the living birds and clean them," the head of a local diving center, Vladimir Bardin said.

The oil spill is believed to have occurred on Sunday after a tanker left the liquefied natural gas plant which is still under construction. The plant is owned by Sakhalin Energy which is the operator and investor for the $20 billion Sakhalin II project.

Sakhalin Energy said it had no information about the oil spill. An investigation is underway.