USCG concludes monitoring diesel fuel clean-up near Sitka, Alaska

The Coast Guard says it has concluded the monitoring of diesel fuel clean-up operations near Sitka, Alaska.

The fishing vessel, Haida Lady, has been raised with lift bags and dewatering pumps, and is tied off to shore. Approximately 1,550 gallons of diesel fuel and oily water mixture were removed from the vessel’s fuel tanks.

An additional 275 gallons of oil products were recovered from the water with the use of absorbents, which included 72 sections of absorbent boom and 1,000 feet of harbor boom was deployed and recovered on-scene.

All recovered oil products and the net were transferred to the vessel Eyak and will be properly disposed of. The contracted oil spill response organization, Hanson Marine, departed the scene after the vessel was tied-off to shore.

Impacts to the environment are unknown at this time. No wildlife was observed within the worksite.

Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Sitka will continue to monitor the vessel’s condition and work with the owner to mitigate potential concerns with the Haida Lady.

“After Hanson Maritime removed the fuel from the vessel’s fuel tanks, and removed the oiled fishing net, all significant threats from the Haida Lady have been removed or mitigated,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Wereda, a marine science technician from MSD Sitka. “We will continue to work with the owner and our Port partners to monitor the vessel.”