Fishing boat sinks near Port Alberni, leaking marine fuel into the inlet

The Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) is helping clean up a marine fuelspill south of Port Alberniafter a fishing boat sankin Alberni Inlet early Monday morning.

According to the Canadian Coast Guard, a 34-footgillnetterwas fishing near Hocking Point, struck some rocks asthe tide was receding and "started to lean and sink."

The coast guard said the incident was reported at around 3:15 a.m., and it was told there were approximately 500 litres of diesel on the vessel.No injuries were reported, and a containment boom was put around the boat.

SpokespersonMichael Lowrysays the WCMRC was activated by the coast guard Monday morning and sent out crews on two ships to help deal with diesel leaking fromthe boat.

"We began to deploy absorbent pads, which we use to clean up marine diesel if it's fairly thin on the surface," he said Monday evening. "The vessel's now stabilized. The boom will remain on it overnight, and we'll reassess tomorrow [Tuesday]morning."

In an emailed statement, the coast guard said the gillnetter's owner hired a contractor who would be coming to remove the boat on Tuesday.

Lowry says as per their policy, the WCMRC notified nearby Indigenous communities,the Uchucklesaht and HupasachatFirst Nations,that they'd been called in to help deal with a spill in the area.

Crews will be sticking around until the cleanup is complete.

"We'll be there to maintain the boom and continue to clean up any oil that's leaking out until the vessel is successfully salvaged," he said.