Pier, vessel sink as powerful storm hits Anacortes

(SEATTLE) — The U.S. Coast Guard responded Wednesday to a sunken pier and multiple vessels affected by high winds and tidal surges created by a storm that moved across the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday.

The 300-by-50-foot concrete floating pier submerged early Wednesday morning in the area of Lovric Sea-Craft in Anacortes with three vessels moored to it.

A tug boat, Hellen S., was tangled up in mooring lines and had to be detangled and re-moored safely.

0
An image taken from social media shows the 100-foot Chilkat after it broke free and began to sink.

The decommissioned Coast Guard cutter Acushnet was also tangled. A tugboat, Garth Foss, was hired to assist by capturing the vessel and securing it in a temporary location.

A decommissioned 100-foot vessel, Chilkat, was wrenched completely free of its mooring, set adrift, and eventually sank in the early morning near the Guemes Island ferry terminal in Anacortes. The vessel was empty of fuel and oil.

No one was on board any of the vessels at the time and no pollution has been reported.

“This was an unfortunate incident,” said Chief Petty Officer Kevin Ouyoumjian, federal on-scene coordinator’s representative, Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound Incident Management Division. “However, the immediate actions of the Lovric Sea-Craft marina prevented it from becoming a catastrophe. Also, the power of these winter storms should remind all mariners of the importance of securely mooring vessels at all docks and marinas.”

– U.S. Coast Guard

By Professional Mariner Staff