The Canadian Coast Guard is working to determine how much diesel fuel has spilled into the Fraser River after a tugboat pulling a barge of gravel capsized overnight.
The 19-metre-long George H. Ledcor capsized in the river between Vancouver and Richmond, B.C., at around 10 p.m. on Monday.
Kiri Westnedge, a spokesperson for the Canadian Coast Guard, said that all four crew members from the boat were rescued by another tugboat nearby.
Westnedge said the boat has a capacity of 22,000 litres of diesel fuel but it’s not yet clear how much fuel was actually onboard.
On Monday, crews from Western Canada Marine Response Corporation were throwing absorbent pads into the river to soak up the fuel, which was sending a strong odour into the air.
Ledcor, the construction firm that owns the tugboat, said it is planning to salvage the tug. A boat with a crane on top could be seen in the river on Tuesday afternoon.
A Vancouver Park Board biologist was at the scene on Tuesday warning dog owners to keep their pets out of the water.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Nafeesa Karim
A tug overturned and sank off Deering Island in the Fraser River. It has a large tank onboard and there’s a potential for a significant amount of fuel to have been released. COV environmental and Coast Guard currently assessing. #fraserriver #COVemergresponse
— City of Vancouver (@CityofVancouver) August 14, 2018
A tug boat, the George H. Ledcor, was carrying approx. 22,000 L of diesel when it capsized in the north arm of the #FraserRiver last night. @CoastGuardCAN boomed the area. @MarineResponse is deploying absorbent pads. @SpillsInfoBC is sending resources, https://t.co/5I8lzbJJW9
— B.C. Spill Response (@SpillsInfoBC) August 14, 2018
Another boom being put in place around the submerged George H Ledcor, a tugboat carrying 22,000 L of diesel. It capsized in the north arm of the Fraser River overnight. Details on @CTVMorningLive pic.twitter.com/VUQbl4H5Vt
— Nafeesa Karim (@nafeesakarim) August 14, 2018
More activity at site of submerged tug: 2 @CoastGuardCAN vessels on scene, along with clean up crews. A crane has been brought in, and another containment boom now surrounds the “George H Ledcor,” which capsized overnight, carrying 22,000 L of diesel pic.twitter.com/xeJwYjBz2f
— Nafeesa Karim (@nafeesakarim) August 14, 2018
Divers in the water working with crews operating a salvage crane as the recovery effort is underway to lift the tug from the water. #FraserRiver #bc pic.twitter.com/Tc08uNPajx
— Melanie Nagy (@MelanieNagyCTV) August 14, 2018
