UPDATED – Unified command responds to grounded vessel near Santa Cruz
Coast Guard, partner agencies establish unified command for grounded fishing vessel near Santa Cruz
U.S. Coast Guard 11th District Pacific Southwest
Contact: 11th District Public Affairs
Office: (510) 437-3325
After Hours: (510) 772-8865
11th District online newsroom
SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR), Monterey County, Santa Cruz Fire Department and a representative of the vessel owners have established a unified command in response to a 56-foot commercial fishing vessel that ran aground with a maximum potential capacity of 1,200 gallons of diesel aboard near Natural Bridges State Park, Sunday morning.
The captain of the fishing vessel, Pacific Quest, contacted Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders at approximately 2 a.m. Sunday, reporting that his vessel ran aground with only himself and his dog aboard.
The captain and his dog were able to walk ashore at low tide with no reported injuries.
The mariner contracted Tow Boat US to try to refloat the vessel and transport it to Santa Cruz Harbor, but when personnel arrived on scene at approximately 11:20 a.m., they determined the vessel salvage operation to be unsafe due to multiple compartments being filled with seawater.
Since the vessel is only accessible at low tide, Tow Boat US responders returned to the Pacific Quest at approximately 5:30 p.m. and secured the fuel vents to prevent fuel from being discharged.
Parker Diving and Salvage has been contracted to salvage the vessel. The company is scheduled to begin fuel removal and salvage efforts Monday.
“The Coast Guard and other federal, state and local agencies have established a unified command to ensure a safe and rapid response to the Pacific Quest grounding,” said Coast Guard Ensign Kelly Hodges, the federal on-scene coordinator representative for the unified command. “We are working diligently with our partners to minimize impacts to the public and the environment.”
The vessel is located near Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
There have been no reports of impacted wildlife.
-USCG-
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Update 1 – Unified command responds to grounded vessel near Santa Cruz
U.S. Coast Guard 11th District Pacific Southwest
Contact: 11th District Public Affairs
Office: (510) 437-3325
After Hours: (510) 772-8865
11th District online newsroom
SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR), Monterey County and Santa Cruz Fire Department continued a unified response Monday with cooperation of the vessel owner to respond to a 56-foot commercial fishing vessel that ran aground Sunday morning with a maximum potential capacity of 1,200 gallons of diesel aboard near Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz.
The vessel, Pacific Quest, began breaking apart on the rocks Sunday evening, causing a fuel line to rupture and discharge an estimated 200 gallons of diesel fuel, however this estimation will remain dynamic until offloading operations are completed.
The fuel release was unrecoverable and there is no visible sheening. The source of the leak has been secured.
The fuel tanks remained in the stern of the vessel, which washed ashore as the vessel broke apart, allowing responders to begin defueling operations Monday morning. An estimated 620 gallons were pumped into fuel totes before a tidal shift occurred and operations were suspended for safety. The removed fuel will be pumped into vacuum trucks for transit.
Operations are scheduled to resume at the next low tide, approximately 5 p.m., Monday. There are currently an estimated 180 gallons of diesel fuel left aboard, 20 gallons of lube oil and multiple batteries.
There have been no reports of impacted wildlife.
Following the pollution removal efforts, the vessel owner will continue to work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and other involved parties to remove the vessel and any remaining debris.
-USCG-
