F/V Ying Fa; Adak, Alaska

Adak, Alaska | 1999-May-10

Initial Notification: During the first week of May 1999, the USCG intercepted a Chinese fishing vessel illegally fishing in the Bering Sea and took it under escort to Adak Naval Station on Adak Island to deliver it to the National Marine Fishing Service (NMFS). They have jurisdiction for fishing violations. The USCG boarded the vessel and found a decrepit old ship, just an accident waiting to happen. The fore fish hold was filled with diesel fuel, which although not a violation, was an extremely sloppy maritime practice. The vessel was rusty, cramped, full of junk, and her systems were just barely in working order. While in port, a serious ammonia leak occurred driving the crew out of the lower levels. As a result of this chemical incident the USCG called in the Pacific Strike Team (PST). The PST sent seven members on-scene and, outfitted in level B protective gear, began monitoring the levels of ammonia in the ship. In several locations concentrations of several hundred ppm were measured, and since the IDLH for ammonia is 300 ppm, it was deemed a very serious situation. Not knowing how much ammonia was onboard, the PST decided to bleed off the system. On the fourth level down in the ship, a 55-gallon drum of water and fans were set up to bleed the ammonia into. USCG district 17. Keyword: none.