Salvaging Aleutian Isle continues

By Ken Stern

Since last Wednesday, divers contracted with the Washington Department of Ecology or the U.S. Coast Guard made dives to the sunken Aleutian Isle, probably daily, according to posts on Ecology's website.

Removing netting has been a primary project to both ensure the divers safety and to prevent fouling when the vessel is lifted. By the end of their shift on Sunday, Sept. 4, the "dive crews finished cutting away free-floating netting from the vessel and securing all remaining entanglement hazards" Ecology posted. Drones, or Remote Operating Vehicles, have been used in each dive.

By Friday, Sept. 2, divers secured all valves and capped all fuel vents that they could locate. They reported no fuel leaks.

Sunday divers began to attach the rigging that will be used to lift the vessel.

Ecology reports that visiting boats have daily intruded on the 1,000-yard safety zone established around the wreck site. The parties of the unified command are communicating that there is a maximum civil penalty of over $94,000 per day for violating the safety zone. Violators can be reported to the Coast Guard crews on VHF marine-band radio channel 16. 

The temporary flight restriction around the Aleutian Isle wreck site also remain in place. 

The Aleutian Isle sank Aug. 13 off Sunset Point, San Juan Island, initially in 100 feet of water. By Aug. 15 it had shifted and slipped down to 200 feet below the surface.

The Swinomish tribe is part of the unified command because the boat is tribal owned. The Coast Guard, the Washington State Department of Ecology and the San Juan Office of Emergency Management also comprise the unified command.