Coast Guard Oversees Oil Containment Following Boat Sinking

Photo/US Coast Guard

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard is responding Thursday to a partially submerged 50-foot recreational boat at the Ocean Marine Yacht Center in Portsmouth.

The Marine Environmental Response Branch from Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads attempted to contact the boat's owner but were unsuccessful.  Due to the possibility of pollution, crews from the Coast Guard Hampton Roads Maritime Incident Response Team and the Portsmouth Fire Department responded to investigate, and as a precautionary measure, deployed containment boom around the boat.  

Due to the inability to establish contact with the boat's owner, the Coast Guard has federalized the response. A federalized response allows the Coast Guard members to utilize the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to assist with clean up efforts. Hepaco Environmental Services has been contracted as the oil spill response organization.

Members of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Department of Transportation have been notified.

Submitted:
U.S. National Guard