Boat carrying explosives sinks near Juneau, Alaska

July 24, 2007

Juneau, Alaska - The Coast Guard is investigating the sinking of a 61-foot landing craft that had been carrying 47,000 pounds of explosive blasting caps in Lynn Canal between Juneau and Haines, Alaska.

The Coast Guard says the explosives posed no danger and were used for mining.

Two people were onboard and managed to escape the sinking boat.

The explosives were off-loaded onto a nearby bank and were waiting for a barge to retrieve them.

From a Coast Guard press release: Coast Guard Sector Juneau is currently responding to a capsized landing craft near Lynn Canal approximately five miles north of Juneau.

The motor vessel (M/V) Pegasus, a 61-foot landing craft with two people onboard owned by Gumption Leasing LLC, lost two containers and an excavator after overturning on its way to an unknown worksite at 11:35 a.m. this morning.

A small boat from Station Juneau is on scene as well as an Air Station Sitka rescue helicopter monitoring the vessel.

Marine investigators from Sector Juneau are enroute to assess the situation.

Currently, a local salvage company, Trucano Construction, has been contracted to recover the containers and salvage the vessel.

The Juneau Captain of the Port has issued a no-entry, safety zone around the accident scene.

There were no injuries. The cause of the accident will be investigated.

© AlaskaReport