DEFUELING OF FERRY BOAT GROUNDED OFF LAHAINA BEGINS
DEFUELING OF FERRY BOAT GROUNDED OFF LAHAINA BEGINS
(LAHAINA, MAUI) – Work began this afternoon to remove 2,500 gallons of fuel from a ferry boat that grounded just off Lahaina last week. The process of getting fuel, batteries, hazardous materials, and other items off the Maui Princess is expected to take a few days.
After everything is removed a salvage contractor will begin work to try and move the 100-foot-long passenger vessel back into deeper water. The boat broke from its mooring further offshore, last Thursday morning after a part reportedly failed.
David Willoughby of Willoughby Consulting and Adjusting is leading the defueling effort. He believes it will take a helicopter nine to10 trips to remove most of the fuel. “Compared to some other groundings I’ve been involved with, while in the U.S. Coast Guard, and while owning my own company, this one is relatively easy,” he said.
The boat is hard-aground on what appears to be a shallow shelf of sand and rubble.
The DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) is providing expertise and guidance for the removal operation, to minimize any additional impacts to important hard substrate and living corals in the area.
High surf continues along the West Maui coastline and that has made it unsafe for aquatic biologists to get in the water to assess any possible damage to marine habitats.
