SEA ERN

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Oil spill after grounding in Izhut Bay

On Sep 1, the 'Sea Ern', with three crew members on board, ran aground in the Izhut Bay, in the Gulf of Alaska off Afognak Island, Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic received a distress call on VHF channel 16 at approximately 6:30 a.m. after the vessel hit a rock and was taking on water. The good Samaritan 'Kennedy' responded to the distress call and recovered the fishermen. No injuries were reported. The ship suffered a 12-foot by 1-foot gash in its bow. Two fuel tanks in the aft of the fishing vessel were ruptured. The Coast Guard responded to a diesel spill from the breach. Approximately 3,500 gallons of diesel has been into the water. An oil boom has been deployed in an effort to control the spread of the diesel. Additional booms were deployed around a nearby fish hatchery and some sorbent materials were being used at the site of the grounding The Alaska Chadux Network, an oil spill response organization, has been contracted for cleanup. The 'Sea Ern' had an additional 12,790 gallons of diesel fuel and 300 gallons of other oil products still onboard. Both Alaskan authorities and the United States Coast Guard were monitoring the situation. The cause of the grounding has not been disclosed. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. Report with photos: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4293174/coast-guard-responds-to-diesel-spill-near-kodiak-alaska/