SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard, California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Office of Spill Prevention and Response, Army Corps of Engineers, and other partner agencies began pollution removal operations Wednesday for a capsized vessel near Bethel Island.
The crane arrived at approximately 3 p.m. and subsequently began operations to right and dewater the Spirit of Sacramento. Operations are estimated to last 24 hours.
Once the Spirit of Sacramento has been dewatered, it is scheduled to be towed to the Army Corps of Engineers facility in Sausalito where oil and fuel are scheduled to be removed.
Containment boom was placed in the water surrounding the vessel so that in the event of oil or fuel entering the water during operations, it could be contained and retrieved by crews standing by with skimming equipment. Boom was also placed in predetermined locations to protect wildlife and sensitive areas.
The waterway surrounding the Spirit of Sacramento was closed Wednesday morning and is scheduled to reopen once operations have concluded. For more information on the public notice establishing the waterway closure, click here.