More than 10,000 gallons of bunker oil removed from 1952 Alaska shipwreck; work continues

10,000 gallons of oil removed from AK shipwreck

JUNEAU, Alaska — Dive crews have removed more than 10,000 gallons of oil from a 1952 shipwreck near Juneau, Alaska, and the work continues.

Work began nearly a week ago to pump the bunker oil, a heavy fuel used mainly in ships, from the Princess Kathleen shipwreck.

In addition to bunker oil, divers have recovered nearly 1,000 gallons of oil that was free-floating within the wreck.

The 369-foot Princess Kathleen ran aground on Point Lena in 1952 and has periodically released small amounts of unrecoverable oil in the years since.

The Coast Guard says divers began assessing the wreck in February, when oil sheens were noticed off the Juneau coastline.

Information from: KINY-AM, www.kinyradio.com