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The 71 foot vessel “western flyer” sank yesterday morning just south of the State Route 20 bridge, and oil sheen was visible on the water’s surface shortly after.
Larry Altose with the State Department of Ecology says there could be 750 gallons of fuel on board the sunken boat, but it seems to be coming out slowly from vents in the fuel tanks.
He says a contractor has placed an oil-containment boom around the sheen, and divers are preparing to patch any holes where the fuel may be leaking from.
Crews will then remove the fuel from the boat so it no longer poses a spill risk.
Coast guard pollution investigators and ecology spill responders are on-scene monitoring the cleanup, as well as Swinomish tribe police and local volunteer fire fighters.
