Sunken Marin Boat Triggers Environmental Hazard Probe

MARIN COUNTY, CA — A Marin law enforcement agency has notified state and federal authorities after a sheen formed around a sunken boat, indicating a possible fuel leak.

Local authorities immediately notified the Warning Center of Cal OES, the U.S. Coast Guard and California Department of Fish and Wildlife after noticing the sheen, the agency said in a statement, Sausalito police said.

The situation began Saturday when two small sailboats beached in Dunphy Park, police said.

The operators told Sausalito police they brought the boats ashore to clean the bottoms of the boats, a process known as "scraping."

Officers informed the boaters that beaching the boats was against the law in that area because it is environmentally sensitive and that scraping the boats could also pollute the area, police said.

The boaters initially refused to move, police said.

On Saturday afternoon, police issued both boat owners standard 72-hour warnings to move their boats or they would be towed away and impounded at their expense, police said.

Officers also issued citations to both boaters for a misdemeanor municipal code violation with a potential penalty of $500, according to police.

One of the boats sailed away and the other remained, filling with water, sinking, police said.

A sheen has now formed around the sunken boat, indicating it may be leaking fuel, police said.

The owner of the sunken boat was also cited for a Department of Fish & Game code violation related to the diesel spill, police said.

The Sausalito Police Department has arranged for Parker Diving Service to place a protective boom around the sunken boat to prevent further damage to the environment.