F/V Westward; Prince of Wales Isl., SE Alaska

Prince of Wales Isl., SE Alaska | 2008-Feb-18

Initial Notification: On Feb. 17, 2008, the F/Vl Westward, an 82 ft wooden hulled fish tender built in 1943, grounded in the vicinity of Point Ildefonso on the SW side of Prince of Wales Island, 7 miles west of Klawock and 10 miles NW of Craig, discharging an unknown amount of diesel. At 6:30 a.m. a containment boom was set around the vessel by the Craig Harbormaster response boat (Josie J) to mitigate further discharge of oil. A CG helo conducted an overflight of the stricken vessel at approximately 8:50 a.m.and reported a 2.5 nautical mile long sheen coming off the vessel. The helo crew also reported the containment boom transported to the scene had been deployed. Meanwhile, the CG contracted with SEAPRO for site assessment and the SEAPRO oil spill response vessel M/V Rudyard Bay departed Ketchikan at 7:30 a.m. but did not arrive on-scene until night fall of that day. By early afternoon on Feb. 17, the owner of the vessel reported all the vents on the vessel's oil tanks were successfully plugged during the afternoon low tide. A second CG overflight conducted during the morning of Feb. 18 reported only sheen on the water. Being a Sunday followed by a holiday, the CG was unable to roust any potential salvors and/or divers who could sound the fuel tanks, although the CG is currently working to develop salvage and lightering plans. The capacity of the vessel is 4000 gallons of diesel in four tanks, 150 gallons of lube oil and 150 gallons of hydraulic oil; however, at this time the amount of fuel remaining in the tanks is unknown. No sensitive resources were identified by the CG within 45 miles of the grounding site. Salvor and marine surveyor finally hired to deal with the situation. In the interim the M/V Rudyard Bay had pumped out over 4000 gals of diesel, and the marine surveyor reported no visible signs of oil in the engine room and some residual bilge slop oil in the forward compartment. Attention is now directed at removing and disposing the 130 tons of bait herring that was on board the vessel.