The last of the wrecked fishing vessel Bergen was pulled out of Bellingham Bay and the beach cleaned up as the salvage operation wrapped up Tuesday, March 15.

“The beach cleanup is complete. At this point, there’s no sheen, no smell,” Ecology spokeswoman Krista Kenner said.

An estimated 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel was on board the boat when it ran aground last week. As much as 1,000 gallons may have spilled into the bay, although a more accurate estimate will come later.

A sheen could be seen in the area, which also smelled strongly of diesel, in the days following the shipwreck.

Three fishermen were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard early last Thursday when the commercial fishing boat broke free from its moorage in a windstorm with gusts of 70 mph.

Read the full story at Bellingham Herald >>