Sunken fishing vessel in San Juan Islands removed by US Coast Guard
Posted September 23, 2022 3:18 pm.
Last Updated September 23, 2022 3:19 pm.
The fishing boat which sunk near the San Juan Islands in Washington state last month has now been removed by the US Coast Guard.
The 20-metre fishing vessel, Aleutian Isle, sank in the vicinity of Sunset Point and created a fuel spill in the Salish Sea that entered Canadian waters near Vancouver Island.
After a recovery operation that lasted more than 40 days, the Aleutian Isle is on a barge and no longer poses a threat to the environment. It will soon transit to a mainland facility for further investigation into the cause of sinking. pic.twitter.com/GRpvfbkBHG
— WA Department of Ecology (@EcologyWA) September 23, 2022
The area is protected under the US Endangered Species Act because it’s a popular feeding ground for endangered southern resident killer whales.
It took more than 40 days to bring the sunken ship to the surface, and the coast guard says crews also removed about 300 gallons (1,363 litres) of oily water from the environment.
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“The vessel was reported to have approximately 2,500 gallons (11,365 litres) of diesel fuel and a combined 100 gallons (455 litres) of hydraulic fluid and lubricant oil aboard. The maximum capacity of the fuel tank is 4,000 gallons. The vessel continues to release small amounts of diesel,” the coast guard said in a statement in August.
The ship is no longer a threat to the environment, but crews continue to monitor the site for any residual fuel, the coast guard said.
