As stated by the U.S. Coast Guard, on February 28th, recovery teams were able to retrieve Tagish, a tugboat that sank on December 28th of 2022, and was partially submerged in the National Guard Terminal in Gastineau Channel, close to Juneau, Alaska.
The 107-foot-long ship, which was built in 1944, was taken on a nearby beach on February 19. Its measurements were 31.33 by 8.44 meters, and it funtioned as a pleasure boat rahter than a working tug.
The vessel was removed by the salvage business Melino’s Marine Service using a barge and crane equipment. Contractors had already dewatered and defueled the vessel before it was disassembled and its parts were put onto a barge for ultimate eventual disposal outside of the state.
The cooperative efforts from federal, state, and local entities in mitigating the risks to the environment were key to the success of this event.
… said Capt. Darwin Jensen, commanding officer, Sector Juneau.
On January 9, the Coast Guard federalized the response operation and secured funds for the elimination of the pollution danger using money from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF). The salvage disposal costs will still be the responsibility of the vessel owner.
