Environment

Coast Guard responding to fuel spill in southern Cook Inlet

The Coast Guard says it's responding to a fuel spill that happened after a boat encountered heavy seas in southeastern Cook Inlet on Saturday.

The vessel, a 116-foot landing craft called Thor's Hammer, was sailing from Seward to Bristol Bay when a 9,000-gallon diesel tank it was carrying was punctured, according to a Coast Guard press release. The Coast Guard Cutter Mustang is en route to the scene, near where Cook Inlet meets the Gulf of Alaska south of Port Graham. It should arrive Saturday night, the Coast Guard said.

Personnel from the Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Department of Conservation, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Cook Inlet Regional Citizen Advisory Council are also responding, the Coast Guard said.

The boat's owner is working to contain and clean up the fuel, according to the release.

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