One injured in Hwy. 101 crash
SANTA BARBARA — A two-vehicle collision on Highway 101 north of the Turnpike Road exit on Monday afternoon injured one person and blocked two lanes for at least 20 minutes, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The collision between a Lexus sedan and Toyota pickup occurred about 4 p.m., a CHP spokeswoman said.
Ambulances were called to the scene, and CHP reports one took an injured person to Cottage Hospital.
The two vehicles blocked the No. 1 and No. 3 lanes until tow trucks arrived and removed them, the CHP said. Both vehicles sustained front end damage.
— Neil Hartstein
Efforts ongoing to manage discharge from wrecked fishing boat
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY — A Unified Command continues to manage a response to a discharge of diesel and hydraulic fluid from a fishing vessel that ran aground Thursday near Chinese Harbor on Santa Cruz Island, off the coast of Santa Barbara County, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department said Monday.
The vessel, the Speranza Marie, owned by Ocean Angel VI, LLC, has a capacity of 4,000 gallons, and was estimated to be carrying approximately 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel, as well as an unknown amount of hydraulic fluid.
Representatives within the United Command include the U.S. Coast Guard, California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response, Santa Barbara County Fire, Channel Islands National Park, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and Ocean Angel VI.
The vessel remains in place, and Global Diving and Salvage, a vessel salvage contractor, is working to stabilize, defuel and remove the vessel.
A non-recoverable sheen is present within Chinese Harbor. Staff with Fish and Wildlife and the National Park Service are assessing potential impacts to intertidal habitats and wildlife. Efforts are ongoing to assess and remove any pollution threats from the vessel prior to salvage operations.
Based on the continuing analysis of the vessel’s structure, appropriate rigging and anchor systems will be utilized to move and refloat the vessel.
The Coast Guard has established a safety zone around the incident site and a notice to mariners is in place for boaters to avoid the area.
The Oiled Wildlife Care Network has been notified and remains on standby to assist in the event impacted wildlife need to be captured. A dead cormorant was recovered near the site on Friday, and the carcass has been retained.
The squid vessel was estimated to have 16,000 pounds of dead squid on board. All recoverable squid will be removed and disposed of properly to reduce the attraction of other wildlife to the scene.
Anyone observing oiled wildlife should not attempt to capture it. Instead please report observations of oiled wildlife to the oiled wildlife hotline at 877-823-6926.
— Neil Hartstein
