A spill cleanup crew remains on the scene Thursday near Longview where an old wooden boat sunk in a side channel of the Columbia River.
The 75-foot long work boat named the Granby sank at its mooring on Tuesday and the Department of Ecology reports there is still a visible oil sheen on the water today.
Agency spokeswoman Linda Kent says a dive team has pumped as much fuel off of the wreck as can be safely accessed. "The estimates of how much spilled are still at 50 to 100 gallons. That is not a final number by any means. The investigation on why the boat sank and that type of thing is still ongoing."
The Cowlitz County Health Department is concerned about the spill to the point that it is warning people and pets to stay out of the water in the area for the time being. The state Department of Ecology says it has received no reports of dead fish or oiled waterfowl to date.
The owner of the boat will be billed for the cleanup.
