64-foot tugboat sinks near Kingston Marina with fuel aboard

A 64-foot tugboat lost power and began sinking after detaching from its anchor near the Kingston Marina last week.

The boat, known by the name Mollusk, had approximately 1,500 gallons of fuel on board as it was sinking.

The U.S. Coast Guard was able to intercept the sinking vessel and tow it to Appletree Cove, where it is now safely anchored and being defueled.

“This story is all too familiar. Please, if you have a vessel that isn’t seaworthy anymore, dispose of it safely before it becomes something the state and federal government have to clean up,” the Washington Department of Ecology stated . “Oil spills are bad for fish, other wildlife, and the environment, and they are very expensive to clean up. Don’t let your problem become everyone else’s problem.”