60 foot fishing vessel salvage underway on Santa Cruz Island

SANTA CRUZ ISLAND, Calif.– A 60 foot fishing vessel named Seperanza Marie with six people and 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel on board ran ashore on Santa Cruz Island around 2 a.m. Thursday, according to the United States Coast Guard.

The six crewmembers aboard were rescued by a nearby fishing boat when the boat went down in the Chinese Harbor. No one has been reported hurt or injured.

The Coast Guard responded to the incident to begin coordinating with local and state water agencies on how to salvage the wreckage from the sea.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Office of Spill Prevention and Response is on sight to mitigate the cleanup effort of the diesel oil that spilled when the boat went aground. No wildlife impacts have been reported at this time, but the area is being monitored.

Cause remains unknown and under investigation.