Coast Guard Halts Salvage of Grounded Fishing Boat During Storm

By the edhat staff

The U.S. Coast Guard has halted its salvage operation off Santa Cruz Island when the fishing boat broke free from its anchored position Tuesday.

Large swells from the recent rainstorm sent the Speranza Marie towards the rocks after it drifted ashore for several hundred feet.

The 60-foot fishing vessel originally became grounded near Chinese Harbor around 2:00 a.m. on December 15.

A Unified Command was established to address potential oil and diesel spills and protect the marine environment.

On December 22, the Speranza Marie was moved from the rocky beach on Santa Cruz Island to deeper water. Response workers aimed to recover hydrocarbon products and debris released during the vessel’s movement.

Based on the damage the plan was to allow the vessel to sink in place so that divers may prepare the vessel for proper salvage. with teams anchoring it in a secure position in preparation for inclement weather and further salvage operations.

The Unified Command has now declared a safety stand-down due to the vessel’s current location on the rocks and harsh weather conditions, making it impossible to safely access and work on the vessel.

The U.S. Coast Guard also stated crews will monitor the boat until they can safely resume salvage operations.

December 15, 2022: Grounded Boat on Santa Cruz Island