In Photos: Heiltsuk contend with tug-boat spill near Bella Bella
in photos
In Photos: Heiltsuk contend with tug-boat spill near Bella Bella
The Nathan E. Stewart tugboat, owned by Texas-based Kirby Corporation, ran aground October 13 near the Great Bear Rainforest and Gale Pass carrying 223,831 litres of diesel fuel, as well as thousands of litres of lubricants. Colin Reid, a fisherman from the community, has been pressed into service with his herring skiff, checking the small inlets and beaches for oil and distressed wildlife. He fears the impact of the spill will last for years. Thousands of metres of containment booms now surround the beach in an attempt to prevent oil from drifting in. “It’s a sad sight to see this beach all boomed off. I’ve been harvesting here all my life,” he said. “The impact is devastating.”