Coast Guard, local partners respond to pollution incident in the Merrimack River
by U.S. Coast Guard 25 Aug 2018 10:21 PDT
Diesel fuel from the fishing boat Hit List can be seen on the water Friday, Aug. 24, 2018, in the Merrimack River. Coast Guard and partners at the state and local level began efforts to clean the spill after the boat caught fire © U.S. Coast Guard / LT Brandon Aten
The Coast Guard and local partners responded a fuel oil spill in the Merrimack River Friday after a fishing boat caught fire and sank.
The fishing vessel Hit List was later salvaged and removed from the river. The Hit List is no longer a hazard to navigation.
The Hit List was reported to have approximately 500 gallons of fuel oil on board, with a maximum fuel tank capacity of about 700 gallons.
Members from Coast Guard Sector Boston's pollution response team arrived on scene Friday evening and worked through the night. An oil sheen was observed on the Merrimack River, and he Coast Guard is overseeing efforts to contain and clean up the spill.
No injuries were reported to the Coast Guard, and the cause of the fire and sinking is under investigation.