HENRY ISLAND, Washington — The United States Coast Guard says it’s working to mitigate a pollution threat after a fishing boat sank just over the Canada-U. S. border not far from Victoria.
The coast guard said in a social media statement that a man and his dog were rescued off Henry Island in the San Juan Islands after the 14-metre commercial fishing boat called the Chief Joseph went down on Friday.
It said the man and the dog made it to a life-raft before the boat sank. They were rescued from Henry Island and taken to Port Angeles in stable condition.
The coast guard said a helicopter flight over the area showed a 90-metre fuel sheen on the water along with debris from the sunken vessel.
It said the fishing boat was reported to be carrying about 1,500 to 1,900 litres of diesel fuel.
Global Dive and Salvage, an oil spill response organization, has been contracted to evaluate the condition of the ship and mitigate the threat of pollution, the coast guard said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2024.
