Miss Michelle vessel sinking
The Coast Guard and Washington Department of Ecology are responding to the report of a 58-foot fishing vessel taking on water near Grays Harbor, Washington.
Summary information
Grays Harbor, WA
The fishing vessel, F/V Miss Michelle (left) with submerged bow. Photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard.
Status updates
September 18, 2008
The F/V Miss Michelle was safely towed across the bar at the entrance of Grays Harbor shortly after 12:30. A light, unrecoverable trailing sheen is thought to be from hydraulic oil.
The vessel has been secured to the Quigg Derrick Barge Aberdeen at a location between buoys 15 and 17 (46.55237 N, 124.04830 W). The whole operation has been double boomed.
Divers are assessing the integrity of the fuel fills and hull and temporary repairs will be made. Once the F/V Miss Michelle is refloated it will be taken to a local boatyard for haul out.
September 15, 2008
The Coast Guard and Washington Department of Ecology are responding to the report of a 58-foot fishing vessel taking on water near Grays Harbor, Washington, on Monday.
At 6:45 a.m., Coast Guard Group/Air Astoria received a call from the fishing vessel Miss Michelle reporting that the vessel was sinking and that the five people aboard abandoned ship to the vessel's 22-foot work skiff. The five people were recovered by a Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor small boat and brought safely to shore.
The vessel has been reported to have the capacity to hold 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel.
The vessel is currently awash but afloat in vicinity of Buoy 9 near the south side of the entrance channel. The Captain of the Port, Portland has established a 100-yard safety zone around the vessel.
Two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Station Grays harbor and an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Group/Air Station Astoria were deployed and are on scene along with the Department of Ecology.
A marine investigator and three incident responders are en route from Sector Portland, to determine the cause of the incident and to stabilize the vessel. The Coast Guard has contracted with a pollution response organization and a salvage specialist, in the event they are needed.
Although no pollution has been reported, Coast and Department of Ecology responders are preparing for any potential fuel spill.
Representatives from the US Department of Interior and the Washington Department of Ecology are also responding to the incident, and will form a unified command on scene.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.