Posted on Aug 15, 2022
‘Incredibly lucky’: endangered orcas dodge diesel spill off San Juan Island
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A fishing boat carrying 2,600 gallons of fuel sank off the western shore of San Juan Island on Saturday, releasing an oily sheen that spread for 2 miles in critical habitat for the Northwest’s endangered orcas.
Researchers called it “incredibly lucky” that the whales and the diesel apparently never crossed paths.
The crew aboard the Aleutian Isle radioed for help Saturday, saying they were taking on water. They abandoned their sinking ship and clambered into the skiff they normally use to maneuver the boat’s purse-like net to capture salmon.
Two other salmon-fishing boats, the Marathon and the Intruder, rescued the five-person crew before the U.S. Coast Guard arrived.
The 58-foot Aleutian Isle sank to the seafloor in more than 100 feet of water about 2 p.m.
Researchers called it “incredibly lucky” that the whales and the diesel apparently never crossed paths.
The crew aboard the Aleutian Isle radioed for help Saturday, saying they were taking on water. They abandoned their sinking ship and clambered into the skiff they normally use to maneuver the boat’s purse-like net to capture salmon.
Two other salmon-fishing boats, the Marathon and the Intruder, rescued the five-person crew before the U.S. Coast Guard arrived.
The 58-foot Aleutian Isle sank to the seafloor in more than 100 feet of water about 2 p.m.
‘Incredibly lucky’: endangered orcas dodge diesel spill off San Juan Island
Posted from kuow.org
Fishing
Canada
State of Washington
Wildlife
Oil
Posted >1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."A unified command of federal, local, and tribal agencies said Sunday night they planned to begin dive operations Monday morning to plug the sunken boat’s vents and begin pumping out fuel that remains on the boat.
Veirs said underwater audio of the Aleutian Isle sinking includes lots of motor noises, but no implosions. He said that suggests the boat’s fuel tanks survived their descent to the pressured depths without rupturing — a promising sign for efforts to keep the boat’s remaining pollutants out of the Salish Sea.
caption: Oil sheen off the west side of San Juan Island on August 13."
..."A unified command of federal, local, and tribal agencies said Sunday night they planned to begin dive operations Monday morning to plug the sunken boat’s vents and begin pumping out fuel that remains on the boat.
Veirs said underwater audio of the Aleutian Isle sinking includes lots of motor noises, but no implosions. He said that suggests the boat’s fuel tanks survived their descent to the pressured depths without rupturing — a promising sign for efforts to keep the boat’s remaining pollutants out of the Salish Sea.
caption: Oil sheen off the west side of San Juan Island on August 13."
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