The Alaska Department of Conservation reported on Wednesday night that a tug, the Devon, operating on the Nushagak River in Western Alaska had struck an underwater obstacle, possibly a rock and had leaked some 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the river there.

Although the ruptured tank carried 7,400 gallons of fuel, the crew was able to transfer the remaining fuel into another void in the vessel.

The incident took place during the early morning hours of Wednesday and was  reported to the Coast Guard’s sector command center in Anchorage by the ship’s master.

The Coast Guard deployed a C-130 to the scene and their overflight observed a sheen of oil on the river at that time. The Alaska State Troopers and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game also conducted overflights of the area as well, but, by the time they arrived on the scene, the oil sheen was no longer visible.

Efforts are moving forward to have the tug, Devon lifted out of the water in order to carry out a full assessment of the damage.

  Alaska, Coast Guard, damage, devon, nushagak river, oil spill, rock, troopers, tug