A 58-foot fishing vessel, the Western Gambler, has run aground near Napier Point, about three kilometres south of Bella Bella.
Early in the morning on Feb. 19, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) received a report that a craft was taking on water and tilting to one side. The Bella Bella lifeboat station crew responded quickly to help with the situation.
"The CCGS Cape Farewell and our Bella Bella Fast Rescue Craft arrived on-scene and rescued the four fishermen onboard," said the Canadian Coast Guard on behalf of the Unified Command group formed to respond to this incident
The Unified Command includes the Canadian Coast Guard, Ministry of Environment and Parks, Heiltsuk Nation and the vessel owner.
No human injuries have been reported.
However, the capsized Western Gambler began leaking, resulting in some initial sheening and other debris on the water.
"My thoughts are with these responders as they work to mitigate potential environmental damage from the fuel on board," said Taylor Bachrach, MP for Skeena — Bulkley Valley, on Facebook.
The Heiltsuk Marine Emergency Response Team, which is part of the local First Nations, responded by deploying containment booms around the vessel. These booms are floating barriers designed to restrict the spread of spilled substances, such as oil, on the water. Additionally, they placed deflection booms along the shoreline to protect the McLoughlin Bay hatchery.
The Unified Command is managing the incident and ensure effective responses to the environmental concerns. The owner of the fishing vessel is also actively involved in these efforts.
