F/V Andrew McGee; Whale Passage between, Kodiak and Afognak Islands

Whale Passage between, Kodiak and Afognak Islands | 1988-Feb-02

Initial Notification: At about 0100 on February 2, 1988, the fishing boat, Andrew McGee, ran aground in the east end of Whale Passage, the shallow and high-current shipping route between Kodiak and Afognak Islands. The 127-foot stern trawler lost approximately 5,000 gallons of diesel; 200 gallons of contaminated diesel; and 1,000 gallons of hydraulic fluid. Shortly after 0100, the U.S. Coast Guard air station in Kodiak received a distress call from the Andrew McGee. A helicopter lifted the six crewmen safely off to the town of Kodiak. Product inventory was reported as 10,000 gallons of diesel; 1,000 gallons of hydraulic fluid; 200 gallons of contaminated diesel; and 900 gallons of lube oil. The master reported that the vessel was very hard aground in 8-knot currents. A Coast Guard overflight reported large areas of sheen several miles to the east and to the west of the grounding location, and that the diesel was not recoverable. USCG district 17.