SAN PEDRO, Calif. –
The Coast Guard and partner agencies mitigated the pollution impact of a 40-foot yacht that sank near Two Harbors on Catalina Island, Saturday morning.
Coast Guard pollution response teams mobilized to plug the vessel's fuel vents to prevent further discharge and the Isthmus Harbor Patrol deployed containment boom to prevent the oil from impacting the surrounding area.
Baywatch Isthmus contacted Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach watchstanders at approximately 4 a.m., reporting the yacht sunk in approximately 65-feet of water and was actively discharging oil.
“Due to the pollution threat this vessel represents to the environment and surrounding area, the Coast Guard opened the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to hire an oil spill response organization to conduct clean-up operations,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Jake Hill, the Coast Guard’s federal on-scene coordinator representative. "Under the Coast Guard’s direction, the hired OSRO completed recovery and clean-up operations Monday."
“The response’s success was a team effort from start to finish,” said Capt. Ryan Manning, commander, Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles – Long Beach. “With help from our response partners including: Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Baywatch Isthmus, and Isthmus Harbor Patrol, we were able to rapidly assess the risk to the environment and coordinate the safe removal of oil and HAZMAT from the ocean.”
The vessel reportedly had approximately 210 gallons of fuel onboard, batteries, a portable generator and miscellaneous cleaning products.
Agencies assisting the Coast Guard with the response include:
• Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department
• Baywatch Isthmus
• Isthmus Harbor Patrol
For more information, contact Coast Guard Los Angeles-Long Beach at (310) 521-3801.