WESTPORT, Wash. — Coast Guard and Washington State Department of Ecology personnel completed the pollution mitigation on the 77-foot fishing vessel Lady Lillian, Tuesday evening.
Incident Management Division personnel from Coast Guard Sector Columbia River opened the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund and contracted Global Diving and Salvage to remove an estimated 4,000 gallons of diesel from the vessels fuel tanks. Initial reports stated that there was approximately 1,000 gallons of fuel on board at the time of the sinking.
"We are pleased that we were able to recover 4,000 gallons of diesel fuel from this vessel and were able abate the pollution threat," said Chief Petty Officer Bradley Bennett, federal on-scene coordinator representative. "We always respond to the maximum potential spill and not to the quoted amount on board for this exact reason."
Watchstanders at Sector Columbia River received the report of the sunken vessel around 6:40 a.m. from members at Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor, who had verified the initial notification they received from marina staff. Ecology and Port of Grays Harbors staff deployed oil spill containment boom and cleanup pads around the sunken vessel, Monday.
The owner of the vessel and marina personnel will continue salvage efforts of the Lady Lillian, Wednesday.
Original response news release: COAST GUARD, WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY RESPOND TO SUNKEN VESSEL IN WESTPORT, WASH.