Salvagers have made progress recovering the sunken fishing tender Lone Star from the bottom of the Igushik River. The 78-foot vessel sank in a channel of the river on June 30.
Ever since then the efforts to recover the vessel have been hampered by strong tides and currents that have basically been burying the Lone Star deeper and deeper into the mud. However, quite a bit of progress was made in the recovery effort earlier this week.
Petty Officer Shawn Eggert is a spokesman for Coast Guard Sector Anchorage, which has been overseeing the recovery effort.
“On Monday the salvage crews, that are on scene in the Igushik River, were able to get the chains wrapped onto the Lone Star and move the vessel 200 feet towards the east shore,” he said. “Once they are able to get the vessel moved to a more shallow area of the river they will be able to pump out the water.”
“They will need some hoses to basically push out all the mud that has accumulated in the boat.”
For the past couple of weeks the recovery plan for the Lone Star included pumping a buoyant foam into the vessel to help lift if off the bottom of the river. However, Eggert says the foam was not needed. Once the water and mud are pumped off the Lone Star the vessel will be inspected with the goal of making it seaworthy enough to be towed to Unalaska for repairs.
Mike Mason is a reporter at KDLG in Dillingham.
