US Coast Guard pollution responders informed that they are responding to a report of a tug that sank at the Port Orchard Railway Marina in Port Townsend, Washington, on Monday July 29. 250 gallons of red dye diesel fuel and hydraulic oil have been recovered.
Members from the US Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound’s Incident Management Division are on scene overseeing the removal and containment of fuel discharged from the 65-foot tug Meagan M.
Currently, the ship is registered as a towing vessel, with the master claiming that it has been used in a strictly recreational capacity for the last two years.
Until now, divers and technicians have recovered around 250 gallons of red dye diesel fuel and hydraulic oil.
In addition, the Oil Spill Liability and Trust Fund has been opened for $100,000. Global Salvage and Diving has been contracted to remove the pollution from the ship and has used hard boom and sorbents to prevent further pollution.
Cleanup crews have also removed the remainder of fuel from the vessel and closed all vents.
What is more, the vessel sinking reportedly caused a dock to overturn, which in turn damaged a nearby vessel.
The Coast Guard is working closely with the Navy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington State Department of Ecology and local contractors to protect the environment and mitigate potential impacts from pollution
USCG stated.
