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Thursday, 9/18/08 3:35 pm
The F/V Miss Michelle was safely towed across the bar
at the entrance of Grays Harbor shortly after 12:30. A light,
unrecoverable trailing sheen is thought to be from hydraulic
oil.
The vessel has been secured to the Quigg Derrick Barge
Aberdeen at a location between buoys 15 and 17 (46.55237 N,
124.04830 W). The whole operation has been double boomed.
Divers are assessing the integrity of the fuel fills and hull
and temporary repairs will be made. Once the F/V Miss
Michelle is refloated it will be taken to a local boatyard
for haul out.
Monday, 9/15/08 11:45 am
The Coast Guard and Washington Department of Ecology are
responding to the report of a 58-foot fishing vessel taking on
water near Grays Harbor, Wash., Monday.
At 6:45 a.m., Coast Guard Group/Air Astoria received a call
from the fishing vessel Miss Michelle reporting that the vessel
was sinking and that the five people aboard abandoned ship to
the vessel's 22-foot work skiff. The five people were recovered
by a Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor small boat and brought
safely to shore.
The vessel has been reported to have the capacity to hold
1,000 gallons of diesel fuel.
The vessel is currently awash but afloat in vicinity of Buoy
9 near the south side of the entrance channel. The Captain of
the Port, Portland has established a 100-yard safety zone around
the vessel.
Two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Station Grays harbor
and an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Group/Air Station
Astoria were deployed and are on scene along with the Department
of Ecology.
A marine investigator and three incident responders are en
route from Sector Portland, to determine the cause of the
incident and to stabilize the vessel. The Coast Guard has
contracted with a pollution response organization and a salvage
specialist, in the event they are needed.
Although no pollution has been reported, Coast and Department
of Ecology responders are preparing for any potential fuel
spill.
Representatives from the US Department of Interior and the
Washington Department of Ecology are also responding to the
incident, and will form a unified command on scene.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
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