Coast Guard, multiple agencies respond to sunken boat that caught on fire in Santa Cruz

(FOX40.COM) — A sunken vessel following a boat fire prompted a response from the U.S. Coast Guard around one mile offshore in Santa Cruz on Wednesday morning.
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According to the USCG, at around 7:40 a.m., Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders got a report of a 45-foot vessel on fire with two people on the boat. The watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast notice to other mariners, a deployed a Coast Guard Station Monterey boat crew, and coordinated with partner agencies in the area.

The Santa Cruz Harbor Patrol and Fire Boat 12 personnel arrived on the scene and rescued both of the people on the boat and transported them to Santa Cruz Wharf with no reported injuries, USCG officials said.

The firefighters who responded to the scene worked on extinguishing the fire with a deweatering pump while the Coast Guard monitored, crews stated. TowboatUS attempted to salvage the boat; however, the boat began taking on water and sank before the tow could be made.

“Our top priorities in any incident are safety of the public and responders and protection of the environment,” said Lt. Cmdr. Mark Leahey, Coast Guard Sector San Francisco Incident Management Division Chief. “We approach every operation with care and deliberate action to mitigate adverse impact to the environment.”

According to the USCG, the boat sank to a depth of 47 feet with no active discharge, and apparent damage to the fuel-storage tanks has been observed. The boat had an estimated report of 650 gallons of fuel onboard, with a capacity of around 1,000 gallons.

At this time, Coast Guard Incident Management Division personnel are working with the vessel owner and monitoring salvage operations.

The Coast Guard, with the following agencies:

• California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Office of Spill Prevention and Response
• Parker Diving Service, Redwood Shore Diving Inc.
• Santa Cruz Port District
• Vessel Owner