SEATTLE – The Coast Guard is monitoring the salvage of the sunken fishing vessel North Pass near Clallum Bay, Wash., Friday.
The Coast Guard responded to the vessel when it was taking on water, Wednesday, at Slip Point near Clallum Bay with two people onboard. Both people were recovered and safely transported to nearby Olson’s Resort in Sekiu, Wash., by a Good Samaritan.
Global Diving and Salvage attempted to raise the 95-year-old wooden fishing vessel with air bags until it was determined, when lifted, it was too unstable to tow to shore. In order to prevent the vessel from drifting into the straits and becoming a possible hazard to navigation the airbags were cut and the fishing vessel sank in approximately 150 to 200-feet of water 300 yards offshore.
Global Diving and Salvage sealed the fuel tanks with a potential of 300 gallons of diesel in those tanks. There are no reports of a sheen.
The Coast Guard has issued a Safety Marine Information Broadcast and will continue to monitor the situation to ensure the safety of the environment and the maritime public.
