Oil spill confirmed along Great Barrier Reef

Oil has been located in water off the coast of Townsville along the Great Barrier Reef.

An helicopter spotted the oil this afternoon after an earlier sweep by a Customs aircraft failed to locate any following reports from a commercial vessel.

Queensland Water Police also dispatched a vessel to the site and ships in the vicinity of the spill were asked to keep a lookout.

Early tomorrow morning, a maritime safety aircraft will head out to the area to measure the extent of the slick path.

"We can confirm some patches of oily water have been sighted in the water south of Townsville," a spokeswoman for Queensland Transport told the Brisbane Times.