The following is text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(SEATTLE) — Coast Guard pollution personnel responded to a report of a tugboat that sank at the Port Orchard Railway Marina in Port Townsend, Wash., on July 29.
Members from Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound's Incident Management Division oversaw the removal and containment of fuel discharged from the 65-foot tug Meagan M. The vessel is currently registered as a towing vessel; however, the master claims it has been used in a strictly recreational capacity for the past two years. Divers and technicians recovered approximately 250 gallons of red dye diesel fuel and hydraulic oil.
The Oil Spill Liability and Trust Fund has been opened for $100,000. Global Diving & Salvage was contracted to remove the pollution from the vessel and deployed hard boom and sorbents to prevent further pollution potential. Cleanup crews removed the remainder of fuel from the vessel and closed all vents.
The vessel sinking reportedly caused a dock to overturn that resulted in damage to a nearby vessel.
The Coast Guard worked 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.
