(UPDATE: Aug. 16 @ 2:30 p.m.) - The George H. Ledcor tugboat, which sunk into the Fraser River between Vancouver and Richmond on Monday night, has been pulled from the water.
The next step for officials is to determine how much diesel fuel leaked from the vessel into the river.
Ledcor Group's David Hoff says crews are now draining potentially contaminated water from the boat's hull, which is a process called dewatering.
"They will be pumping the water that is inside the tug to a special container on the barge," Hoff told the Canadian Press.
"The dewatering will take a while and they will have to go in and inspect for damage and inspect the vessel before they start to move it."
It remains unclear how much of the diesel fuel the tug was carrying was released into the river, but it's believed to be much lower than it's possible capacity of 22,000 litres.
"We won’t have a better sense of that number until the tanks in the vessel are measured which will allow us to get a better number on the actual volumes leaked," explained Dan Bate with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
According to Hoff, as much as 600 litres of diesel had been recovered in the first 24 hours after the accident and there was still a strong smell of diesel noticeable on site.
The Transportation Safety Board said it has deployed a team of investigators to the site to gather information and assess the incident.
With files from the Canadian Press.
(UPDATE: Aug. 15 @ 11:30 a.m.) - Crews are preparing to lift a sunken tugboat that went down in the Fraser River between Vancouver and Richmond on Monday night.
A large crane and barge are now on site where the boat went down and specialized crews are expected to go to work today.
Canadian Coast Guard vessels have remained at the scene since the boat sank and will continue to remain in command while salvage efforts are underway.
There's no scheduled time for the recovery attempt, says Ledcor Group spokeperson David Hoff, and those decisions will be made based on factors that include tides.
Officials still haven't said how much diesel was in the tug's 22,000-litre fuel tanks when the vessel went down.
The Coast Guard has said that there's been a "significant decrease" in the amount of oil in the water overnight, but the Musqueam First Nation says they're concerned as one of the best salmon returns in years has gotten underway.
#CCGLive: @LedcorGroup plans to raise tugboat George H Ledcor today. Coast Guard remained on scene through the night at #FraserRiver and will remain in command while salvage efforts are underway. Helicopter flight over the area shows significant decrease in amount of oil in water
— Canadian Coast Guard (@CoastGuardCAN) August 15, 2018
With files from the Canadian Press.
(Original story: Aug. 14 @ 10:10 a.m.) - The damage assessment is underway after a tugboat carrying 22,000 litres capsized near Vancouver today.
The George H. Ledcor tug went down earlier today in the Fraser River between Vancouver and Richmond, near Deering Island.
Dan Bate, a spokesperson for the Canadian Coast Guard, said that four people were aboard the vessel and were all rescued by a nearby tug.
The cause of the boat’s demise is still unknown at this time.
Crews are still assessing the total volume of the fuel spill and the impact of the spill, which is at the north arm of the salmon-bearing Fraser River, on the ecosystem.
CLARIFICATION: The George H. Ledcor tug that capsized in the #FraserRiver has a carrying capacity of ~22,000 L of diesel. This does not mean the tug's tank was full or that its contents have completely spilled. Amount spilled is still being investigated, https://t.co/X8SXh34Q1Q
— B.C. Spill Response (@SpillsInfoBC) August 14, 2018
The coast guard and Western Canada Marine Response Corporation have laid booms and absorbent pads are the vessel to contain the spill.
The tug’s full fuel capacity is 22,000 litres, but the total volume of the spill hasn’t been determined yet.
Responding agencies include the coast guard, Environment Ministory, City of Vancouver, Musqueam First Nation, Transport Canada and Western Canada Marine Response Corporation.
With files from the Canadian Press.
