Vessel Incident Napier Point

Disclaimer:

• Information provided is based on reports received by Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR)
• Information provided is considered to be current at the time of posting, but is subject to change

Incident description

Incident Date	February 19, 2025
Name	DGIR:  250648
Source	Fishing vessel
Nearest Community	Bella Bella, B.C.
Spilled Content	Diesel and hydraulic oil
Who is involved	Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), Environmental Emergency Branch (EEB), Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV), Heiltsuk Nation, Heiltsuk Marine Emergency Response Team (MERT)

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Response phase details

The responsible person or spiller is legally required to cleanup or manage the cleanup of a spill.

In incidents where the responsible person is unknown, unable or unwilling to manage the cleanup, the Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV) may assume the role. 

The updates below reflect the ministry’s oversight of the spillers’ actions. Details describe the spill response phase only and not the complete lifecycle of the spill. Visit the 'More information' page for other reports. 

Updates are in reverse chronological order with the most recent at the top.

Industry-specific language may be explained in the Glossary of Terms (PDF, 106KB).

Most recent updates

February 27

Salvage operations are now complete.

In the morning of Thursday, February 27, crews were successful in lifting and securing the vessel aboard the barge. Minimal pollution was observed within the containment area and no pollution observed outside of the containment area.

The barge then returned to the incident site where dive operations focused on removing debris from the marine environment. Together, CCG, MERT and EERO conducted Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique surveys by foot. 

The barge, with the vessel and debris, was moved to Bella Bella where plans are underway to transfer the vessel to a salvage facility in the Lower Mainland.

The Navigational Warning has now been cancelled.

A sampling team, including a Recovery Specialist from EEB, will arrive on Sunday, March 2. 

No further updates are anticipated.

February 26

A crane and barge have been contracted to remove the vessel from the marine environment and arrived on-site on Tuesday, February 25.

On-water operations to salvage the vessel began on Wednesday, February 26. Crews were able to rig the vessel, right it, and secure it to the barge. Severe weather moved in during operations. This required moving the vessel to Shearwater Harbour to continue the process of dewatering the vessel. No sheening or discharge was observed during the moving or transit of the vessel.

Weather permitting, work will continue tomorrow.

An EERO, MERT, CCG and WCMRC will all be on the water during the salvage operation, in the event of a sudden release of pollution.

Public safety remains the highest priority.

During the salvage operation, an Emergency Zone of 0.8km (0.5 miles) will be established around the incident site in Lama Passage. 

Mariners are asked to avoid transiting in this area until the barge and crane have departed.

As a precaution, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) closed the bivalve fishery in the area.

Further updates will be made when more information is available.

February 24

Vessel salvage resources are on route to the site and are expected to arrive tomorrow afternoon.

An EEB Environmental Emergency Response Officer (EERO) arrived on site today and will remain on site during the salvage operations.

A National Aerial Surveillance Program (NASP) flight was completed over the site today. The NASP flight reported some sheening outside the southern booms. No significant sheening outside the booms was reported.

The CCG is working to restrict vessel traffic in the area during salvage operations and minimize disruption to BC Ferries operations.

The vessel is planned to be removed on Wednesday, February 26, 2025.

Further updates will be made when more information is available.

February 20

A Unified Command has been established to oversee the incident and to ensure an appropriate response. Unified Command is being led by four Incident Commanders, representing the Canadian Coast Guard, Ministry of Environment and Parks, Heiltsuk Nation, and the vessel owner.

In addition to the containment boom that was deployed around the vessel yesterday, the Heiltsuk Marine Emergency Response Team has deployed secondary boom as a preventative measure.

Saturated sorbents are being removed from the containment boom as required.

Shoreline assessments are being conducted today by the Heiltsuk Marine Emergency Response Team to determine the extent of sheening.

Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) has been contracted by the vessel owner and is now on-site with vessels, equipment and personnel.

A plan is in development for the removal of the vessel from the marine environment early next week.

A Navigational Warning has been issued requesting mariners to minimize wake in the area.

Further updates will be made when more information is available.

February 19

The Environmental Emergency Branch (EEB) is aware that the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) received a report around 3:15am this morning that the 58 foot fishing vessel Western Gambler had grounded near Napier Point, about three kilometers south of Bella Bella.

The vessel began to list and CCG Bella Bella lifeboat station crew was tasked to assist. The CCGS Cape Farewell and CCG Bella Bella Fast Rescue Craft arrived on-scene and rescued the four fishermen onboard. No injuries were reported.

The Western Gambler then capsized and appears to be leaking, as there was some initial sheening and other debris on water.

Earlier this morning, the local Heiltsuk Marine Emergency Response Team responded and deployed containment boom around the vessel. They also deployed deflection boom along the shorelines and to protect the McLoughlin Bay hatchery.

A Unified Command has been established to oversee the incident and ensure an appropriate response.

The owner of the fishing vessel is actively involved in the response.

Further updates will be made when more information is available.