Chinese fishermen sue ConocoPhillips over spills

A group of Chinese fishermen is suing ConocoPhillips in U.S. federal court, claiming their livelihoods have been greatly impacted by oil spills last year from the company's operations in northeastern China.

The lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Houston seeks unspecified damages.

An attorney for the fishermen says the lawsuit was filed in the U.S. because similar efforts in Chinese courts have been blocked, and the fishermen deserve to be compensated for their losses.

Calls and emails to Houston-based ConocoPhillips were not immediately returned Monday. The company previously apologized for the spills and has set up compensation funds.

The two spills occurred in June 2011 in the Bohai Sea and covered (840 square kilometers) 324 square miles.