A 60-foot barge that sank on its mooring in January near Lamoine Beach has proven difficult to recover from Frenchman Bay, but does not appear to pose an environmental threat, according to officials.
The barge capsized and sank off Lamoine during a storm on Jan. 17, posing a potential hazard to the bay’s marine life, local clamming areas and nearby aquaculture sites. But it appears that there are no fuel or oil leaks and the barge remains intact, according to Jeff Nichols, a spokesperson for the Department of Marine Resources.
State Department of Environmental Protection staff visited the site of the sinking and have been in contact with the owner. An initial effort to recover the vessel using professional divers was unsuccessful, and further attempts to raise it up have been rescheduled due to high winds and rough seas.
Depending on the conditions, another salvage attempt may be made this week, David Madore, a deputy commissioner with the DEP, said Friday. On Monday, a small boat from a salvage company was at the site off Lamoine State Park.
Marine Patrol members have been monitoring the barge and will continue to do so until it is raised, Nichols said.
“If there are local citizens or folks in the community that do witness actual sheening or discharge, they should notify the National Response Center,” said Ryan Koroknay with the U.S. Coast Guard.