JUNEAU — A derelict tugboat that the U.S. Coast Guard says had been abandoned has been sunk in waters off Southeast Alaska.
The Coast Guard, in a news release, said the 107-foot tugboat called the Lumberman was sunk in more than 8,400 feet of water on Sunday.
Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Janessa Warschkow said Tuesday that scuttling of the tugboat, about 145 miles west of Juneau, included flooding by opening water valves on the tug and rounds fired from the Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick to help speed the process.
The Coast Guard said the cutter towed the Lumberman to the site where it was sunk. The Coast Guard said it cooperated with the City and Borough of Juneau and a marine services company in the scuttling.
Hazardous materials previously were removed, and the city obtained a permit for the vessel’s disposal at sea, the release stated. The tugboat was deemed derelict and posed a public safety risk, according to the news release.