Sunken fishing boat removed from orca habitat near Victoria
A 15-metre fishing boat that sank and leaked oil in a critical orca habitat east of Vancouver Island has been removed from the water.
The Canadian Coast Guard confirmed Friday the vessel Aleutian Isle was lifted from the water onto waiting barge. The vessel went down on Aug. 13, coming to a rest in about 60 metres of water with about 10,000 litres of oil and diesel on board.
Five crew members were rescued as the vessel took on water near San Juan Island in Haro Strait, about 25 kilometres east of Victoria.
Crews rushed to contain an oil sheen from the boat before it could foul a key feeding ground for endangered southern resident killer whales.
The area is protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act because it's a popular fishing spot for the orcas. Chinook salmon, the whales' main prey and a species facing its own survival challenges, swim along bluffs on San Juan Island, creating a feeding channel for the orcas.
Crews recovered the vessel earlier this week, floating it to the surface to assess and drain any remaining pollutants from the boat.
The coast guard said Friday there was "no impact to Canadian waters or shorelines during the salvage operation."
A large seine net that floated free of the fishing boat after it went down was recovered and divers also pulled up several panels of a second net that was floating in about 30 metres of water.
Marine crews from both sides of the Canada-U.S. border took measures throughout the salvage operation to deter any whales from venturing near the wreck.
- With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.