The salmon tender Lone Star is still submerged in at the mouth of the Igushik river near Dillingham, but salvage crews have successfully moved it. The Coast Guard says that Resolve-Magone crews on Monday pulled the vessel 200 feet to the east shore of the river. That required heavy chains and two cranes.
The Lone Star is still extremely heavy, so to be able to lift it, salvagers must pump out the water and mud in her tanks. The plan is to ultimately make the vessel seaworthy and tow it to Unalaska. The 78-foot boat sank June 30 with 14,000 gallons of fuel on board. A consistent fuel sheen shut down the sockeye fishery at the peak of the season.
Ben Matheson is a contributor with the Alaska Public Radio Network.
