SAN FRANCISCO- Plans to remove the fishing vessel trapped beneath the San Mateo Bridge are being made today, after it grounded earlier this week.
On Tuesday evening, the vessel ran aground and was pushed in to the bridge due to the high winds. Two crewmembers aboard were rescued by the Coast Guard Cutter Tern and the other climbed on the bridge, after the vessel struck it. The Coast Guard contracted the National Response Corporation to mitigate any pollution threat to the environment yesterday, resulting in the removal of 1300 gallons of diesel fuel from the vessel’s submerged fuel tanks.
Currently, along with our partner agencies, the California Department of Transportation, the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Fish and Game, salvage plans are being discussed. All agencies are working together to determine when and how removal of the vessel will take place in a safe manner. Assessments are continuously being made to evaluate any damage to the vessel and the marine environment. No pollution has been identified on the beaches throughout the incident, however today a visible sheen has been sighted periodically around the vessel. NRC has been mobilized to the scene to contain and recover spilled diesel fuel. They will re-assess wind and sea state conditions to determine if it is safe to deploy containment boom and if that boom would be effective.
The Coast Guard will continue to monitor and respond to any pollution to the environment and disseminate information as it changes.
