A barge that was refloated after sinking last month at Port NcNeill’s ferry dock has sunk again.
The Canadian Coast Guard, Port McNeill Fire Department and Port McNeill RCMP responded to the initial sinking on Christmas Day. A second, smaller barge with no fuel on board ended up on the breakwater about the same time.
A boom was placed around the larger barge — the 80-foot, two-storey Alaska Plaza — and it was lifted from the ocean floor Friday after delays caused by bad weather.
However, waves caused water to enter the barge and it capsized, ending up in its original position on the ocean floor on Saturday.
That led to the containment boom not working. About 0.6 litres of diesel was seen in the water, and it is expected that more fuel escaped.
“Currently there is no fuel upwelling from the barge, but there is a small amount of sheen coming from a piece of sorbent boom pinned under the barge when it flipped,” the coast guard said in a statement. “Divers will recover the boom when weather permits.”
Environmental response officers will continue to monitor the barge regularly, the statement said.
Assessment of shoreline areas were conducted Monday to determine any environmental impacts and to remove any waste from beaches, the coast guard said. “Twelve fuel drums have already been collected from the marine environment.”
Further plans to lift the barge are being considered.
— Times Colonist
