Fishing boat leaks fuel into the Fraser River after capsizing

A large fishing vessel built in the 1940s has capsized at a Richmond marina in the Fraser River this morning.

The boat at Shelter Island Marina began to take in water at approximately 8 a.m. this morning. By 11 a.m., the vessel was underwater.

There was no fuel in the diesel tank at the time of the incident, but a long oily sheen can still be seen in the water. Unlike the bunker fuel leak in English Bay, diesel fuel is one of the lightest petroleum products and tends to evaporate very quickly.

Coast Guard crews from the Richmond base promptly arrived to the scene and have already deployed absorbent cloths and a containment boom around the vessel. Later today, a barge with a crane will pull the vessel upright.

A boat has capsized and is leaking fuel along the Fraser River. Coast Guard on scene @News1130radio pic.twitter.com/lv6PKlXOIM

— Chad Dey (@chad_dey) May 12, 2015

Here is the overturned boat in question #cbc pic.twitter.com/bswoJjb1oc

— Farrah Merali (@FarrahMerali) May 12, 2015

Coast Guard crews are dropping some kind of white cloths into area around boat #cbc pic.twitter.com/9LvyxGJfCV — Farrah Merali (@FarrahMerali) May 12, 2015

A distinct smell of fuel in the air here #cbc pic.twitter.com/OS1eMy8w9D — Farrah Merali (@FarrahMerali) May 12, 2015

A boom is already in place around the boat #cbc pic.twitter.com/m6czVaxZ9F

— Farrah Merali (@FarrahMerali) May 12, 2015