U.S. authorities working to keep orcas away from 'pollution incident' off Vancouver Island
The U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies are responding to a sunken vessel leaking fuel in Haro Strait, between Vancouver Island and San Juan Island.
The U.S. Coast Guard's Pacific Northwest district tweeted around 6 p.m. Saturday that a roughly 15-metre (49-foot) fishing vessel had sunk west of San Juan Island's Sunset Point.
The vessel had more than 9,800 litres (2,600 gallons) of diesel and oil on board, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, which described the situation as a "pollution incident."
"All crew were rescued by (a) Good Samaritan," the agency said.
An aerial image of the area shows a sheen on the water where the vessel sank.
The cause of the sinking wasn't immediately known. The ship, called the Aleutian Isle, reported it was taking on water about 2 p.m. Saturday, the Coast Guard said.
Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound said personnel spotted an oil sheen about 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles) in length at around 5 p.m. Saturday.
Some of the sheen had entered nearby Canadian waters, Petty Officer Michael Clark said Sunday.
The Coast Guard was working with the Canadian Coast Guard Regional Operations Centre, the San Juan County Office of Emergency Management, Washington State Department of Ecology and the non-profit Islands' Oil Spill Association on Sunday to contain and recover the spill, Clark said.
In an update Saturday evening, the USCG said it is working with Sound Watch and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to monitor the location of southern resident killer whales and keep them away from the spill if necessary.
"While there are not any whales currently in the area, our agencies are prepared to deploy authorized deterrents," the agency said.
Most of those "authorized deterrents" are sound-based, according to the NOAA website.
Among the strategies authorities use to keep whales away from fuel spills are "helicopter hazing," which involves flying at low altitudes to create sound and disturb the surface of the water in an effort to make the whales move away; striking underwater pipes with a hammer to make a loud noise; and using "underwater firecrackers" for a similar purpose.
San Juan Island is about 144 kilometres (90 miles) north of Seattle and 25.6 kilometres (16 miles) east of Victoria, B.C.
"We are working with government and industry partners to ensure an efficient and effective containment and recovery response," U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Brian Dykens said in a statement.
"The local public, the environment and protected marine species are our top priority."
With files from The Associated Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.