A fishing boat that flipped near the edge of the Sitka harbor over the weekend was refloated on Monday.
At around one p.m. on a Saturday at around 1 p.m., around 1 p.m. on Saturday, the Coast Guard responded to a vessel that had capsized near the entry point to Crescent Harbor in downtown Sitka. Coast Guard Marine Science Technician Allysia Helton was on the scene. She stated that all four people aboard the vessel Vessel Ocean Cape managed to quickly be able to get off the vessel. There were no injuries confirmed.
“There were a lot of residents of the community who were on the scene right following the incident. They they assisted in helping the crew get off the boat and ensure all was in order,” Helton says. “And throughout the process, we saw a lot of people from the community who visited the scene to assist in any way they could. It was a great demonstration of the small town’s support.”
When when the Coast Guard arrived, the crew of the Ocean Cape was already working with a local salvage company. Helton adds that Hanson Maritime worked to secure the fuel vents on the boat, and contained spilled fuel and oil by using floating booms.
“The crews worked all day long to take the fuel from the tanks during low tide. They were able recover around 800 gallons of oil as well as liquids containing oil from the ship between Sunday and Saturday.” Helton says.
It was floated Monday morning and was returned to its stall in Crescent Harbor, with some damages to the hull, which are currently being evaluated. The cause of the incident is still being investigated however Helton stated that weather conditions could have contributed to the cause.
“Saturday was quite turbulent,” Helton says. “From what we’ve heard it seems like it played a important role in the vessel’s roll over onto it’s side.”
The Ocean Cape is owned by fisherman Chris Ystad, who also is on the Sitka Assembly. In an email sent to KCAW, Ystad expressed his gratitude to all who provided assistance to the rescue crew and during the salvage process.
