Coast guard says crews hope to board burned ship off Victoria
An official with the Canadian Coast Guard says an opportunity is expected Monday evening for crews to board a container ship smouldering off the coast of Victoria.
Paul Barrett says Resolve Marine salvage and firefighting crews are at the scene, but a storm had prevented anyone from boarding the MV Zim Kingston.
He told a news briefing Monday the forecast suggested a “weather window” would open for crews to board the ship carrying at least 10 containers that caught fire Friday.
Some of the units contained hazardous materials, though Barrett says ongoing air quality monitoring at locations along the Victoria waterfront found no negative results.
Barrett says a flyover Monday showed no visible flames, though the salvage master has indicated there are still pockets of fire and some containers have “internal fires” as crews spray water on the containers and the ship's hull to keep it cool.
Another 40 containers fell overboard and Barrett says they're drifting north off the coast of Vancouver Island, where a wind warning remained in effect Monday.
The Kingston had reported damage as it approached Vancouver and it anchored for repairs in the Strait of Juan de Fuca before reporting the fire to the coast guard.
Mariah McCooey, the coast guard's deputy federal incident commander, told the briefing the initial cause of the fire is not yet known and is being investigated.
“When it did get really windy (Sunday) night, you know, we were definitely keeping a close eye on it to make sure that the additional oxygen flowing in there didn't reignite some of the flames. It looks like that didn't happen, so that's really good.”
An environmental unit has been set up to monitor any ecological impacts and recommend strategies for preventing and mitigating harm, McCooey says.
“Based on the assessment so far, there aren't any identified risks to marine species. There aren't any fisheries closures recommended at this time.”
Asked about the chemical stored in some of the containers, provincial incident commander Zachery Scher says potassium amyl xanthate is used in mining.
“It is water soluble, not expected to be persistent in the environment and any aquatic impacts are expected to be acute and near the source of discharge.”
Owners are responsible for their vessels under Canadian law, McCooey says, adding that the owner of the Greek-based Zim Kingston has been co-operating with authorities.
Gillian Oliver, also with the coast guard, says they're tracking the drifting containers and the ship's owner has contracted a local company equipped to deal with any hazardous material or debris that may come ashore, though that's not expected.
The owner will begin salvaging lost containers once weather permits, she says.
Oliver says the containers slipped off when the ship was “heeled,” or angled during inclement weather.
The Kingston's 1,800-page cargo manifest shows a variety of goods and the owner is working with officials to determine which containers were affected, she says.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
BREAKING Police cordon off Iran consulate in Paris where man threatens to blow himself up: French media
French police cordoned off the Iranian consulate in Paris on Friday, where a man was threatening to blow himself up, Europe 1 radio and BFM TV.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.