The 125-foot former research vessel Hero partially sank at the pier in the Palix River just south of Bay Center near Willapa Bay early Saturday afternoon, according to the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River was notified of the sunken vessel by Pacific County emergency managers Saturday. Coast Guard and state Department of Ecology personnel responded to assess any pollution risks. A light sheen of oil on the surface was reported. A Coast Guard inspection determined that the vessel was not a threat to navigation.

In response, the Coast Guard opened the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund in the amount of $25,000 to minimize pollution potential from the vessel. The trust fund was used to contract Global Diving and Salvage, an international provider of marine construction, support services, and marine casualty-responder company with a location in Seattle, and more than 70 gallons of diesel fuel and lube oil was removed from the vessel Tuesday. Response crews deployed booms and pads around the vessel to contain and absorb the fuel and oil.

Pacific County Emergency Management Agency Director Scott McDougall visited the scene Monday, observing what he called a “significant sheen coming from the vessel.” He noted that the Coast Guard and Ecology are the “authorities having jurisdiction” over this type of incident. McDougall had direct contact with Ecology officials who said they would keep him informed.

Also on Monday the Coast Guard, Ecology and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources — owners of the tidelands on which the vessel is sitting — discussed methods for mitigating the situation, according to a statement from Ecology’s Spill Response Team, which read in part:

“Due to the location (narrow channel, strong currents, significant tidal changes, etc.) and the potential unstable condition of the vessel, there is a possibility that diving may not be an option due to safety concerns. Removal of the pollution threat is the immediate goal. Future plans for raising, salvage and/or removal of the vessel will need to be conducted by (the Dept. of Natural Resources) as the federal fund may not be used for vessel removal.”

Willapa Bay is known for its oyster farms. According to Bill Dewey, Director of Public Affairs for Taylor Shellfish, their harvest beds are far enough away from the Hero to allow for harvest, as is the recently acquired Ekone Oyster Farm not far from Bay Center.

“We do have an area where we keep out broodstock, and it looks like it’s been impacted,” he said. “There was some oil on the mud there, but the oysters appear to be healthy.” Because these oysters are not for human consumption, but rather for breeding purposes in their hatcheries, in the short term it’s business as usual for Taylor’s properties. It will take time to see if the oil on the broodstock beds will cause any lingering effects on the oysters there.

Coast Guard and Ecology personnel will continue to monitor the vessel for any further pollution.

Location of the partially-sunken former research vessel Hero near Bay Center on Willapa Bay.