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
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
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.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K 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.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
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.
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.