Seiner goes down at Wrangell

The seiner Siren, partially submerged. SEAPRO photo

The U.S. Coast Guard is reporting the salmon seiner Siren ran aground in Wrangell harbor on Saturday.

The vessel belongs to Michael A. File of Petersburg, according to the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission.

Here's the Coast Guard press release:

July 11, 2009

Coast Guard responds to grounded vessel in Wrangell Harbor

JUNEAU, Alaska — The Coast Guard responded to the 58-foot fishing vessel Siren which grounded with 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel on board in Wrangell Harbor at 1:10 a.m. Saturday.

A crewmember from the Siren contacted the Coast Guard Sector Juneau Rescue Coordination Center by VHF-FM radio to report the grounding and then safely made it to shore after disembarking from the Siren in a small motor vessel.

Personnel from the Southeast Alaska Petroleum Resource Organization in Wrangell placed boom around the vessel at 6:30 a.m. and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew conducted an overflight of the vessel and reported that there was no sheen at 9:38 a.m.

Personnel will work with the tide levels to attempt to refloat the fishing vessel. No injuries have been reported and the cause of the grounding is not known at this time. The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the grounding.

The Siren is homeported in Petersburg and was en route from Petersburg to Wrangell during the grounding.