Days after its crew abandoned it, the fishing vessel High Roller III remains stuck on the rocks at Bay de Verde.
The Coast Guard received a distress call on Saturday regarding the 15-meter fishing boat, High Roller III, which was taking on water near English Harbour. The CCGS Sacred Bay, stationed in Old Perlican, responded to the call.
Due to the water intake, the decision was made to evacuate the High Roller III while it was being towed by the CCGS Sacred Bay. The five crew members were rescued by the responding vessel and brought ashore.
The Coast Guard reported that the vessel grounded outside Bay de Verde Harbor with a cargo of approximately 10,000 liters of diesel fuel, engine oil, hydraulic oil, and over 5,400 kilograms of cod onboard.
A preliminary inspection conducted by the CCGS John Cabot later that day did not reveal any visible pollution. Additional crew members arrived in the evening to assess the situation further.
The ship’s owner mobilized a tug, commercial divers, and a contractor to assist in salvage, refloating, and fuel extraction operations.
The Canadian Coast Guard affirmed its commitment to providing support on-site to ensure an effective response to the incident.
The grounding of the vessel near the Quinlan Brothers seafood plant prompted a temporary halt in operations as a precautionary measure to protect the water supply. The plant was preparing for processing farmed salmon from Placentia Bay and was taking preventive measures to avoid contamination.
Plans were in place to resume normal operations at the plant but without using the water system until safety concerns were addressed.
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