NPS says petroleum-like sheen emanating from 82' vessel, which caught fire and capsized on April 21.
KDLG: Staff at Katmai National Park and Preserve say the F/V Northern Pride was found hard aground along the Katmai's Shelikof Strait coastline May 7.
The Northern Pride caught fire and capsized on April 21 northeast of Marmot Island (57 miles from Kodiak). The three crew onboard abandoned ship and were rescued from a raft by a US Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. The ship capsized and was believed to have sunk.
According to NPS, the 82-foot long vessel was next spotted by the Coast Guard on April 28 off the Shakun Islets off Katmai's coast.
On May 7, it was seen beached upside down between Cape Chiniak and Kaguyak Point. NPS said the vessel appears to be emanating a petroleum-like sheen, but how much fuel may remain onboard has not been determined.
A salvage company has been hired by the owners to recover what remains of the vessel.
The Northern Pride was built in 1943. It had a maximum capacity of 4,900 gallons of diesel fuel, 200 gallons of hydraulic fluid, and 200 gallons of lube oil. The skipper reported the April 21 fire broke out in the engine room, and was too smoky for the crew to battle.
NPS said an assessment and response to the spill, and a rapid salvage of the vessel, are high priorities. Park staff and salvage crews were expected to be at the site over the weekend, depending on the weather.
Contact the author at dave@kdlg.org.