USCG Responds to Port of Astoria Vessel Sinking

The US Coast Guard is responding to the sinking of a derelict vessel at the Port of Astoria, Thursday.

A Coast Guard incident management team is currently on scene and working with Port of Astoria personnel to minimize the impact of pollution from the sunken Cap’n Oscar to the maritime environment.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River received a call from port personnel Thursday evening when they noticed the derelict vessel was sinking. Port personnel began taking steps to place boom around the vessel.

Currently the vessel is submerged up to the pilothouse. The Cap’n Oscar is a 69-foot fishing vessel with an unknown amount of fuel aboard.

Chief Warrant Officer Amber Winkowski, the command duty officer at Sector Columbia River, said:

Thanks to the crew at the Port of Astoria and the quick response from the Coast Guard incident management department we were able to quickly address the pollution threat. The Coast Guard will continue to monitor the case until the vessel is removed from the water and the pollution is mitigated.

Personnel from the Port of Astoria, working with Coast Guard responders, plan to attempt dewatering at low tide followed by a full removal of the vessel the Friday morning .

The weather at the time of the incident was reported as 23 mph winds and 6-foot seas.

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Image: USCG