According to Hawaii News Now, the Judy K, a nearly 80-foot-long fishing vessel that has been sinking in Honolulu since January, is scheduled to be salvaged early this October. The operation is overseen by the Department of Transportation and Army divers, who will reportedly use this situation as a way to hone their ship recovery skills.
Back in January, the same source noted that the vessel had leaked as much as an estimated 150 gallons of fuel within the same week. While the boat had been used for recreation by local fishermen, the Coast Guard recognized its decaying state. Photos showed the boat, which had been left to rot in the harbor for "about a decade," partially submerged, the owner said to be deceased. Since then, the Judy K has been subject to a containment boom as divers prepare to do their work.
Also in January, Boating and Ocean Recreation District Manager Meghan Statts told KHON2 that the local government will investigate abandoned boats.
"Some people just don't want to deal with the boat anymore and take the registration number of and feel like we can take it and the state will take over and take control and dispose of the vessel," she said. "The taxpayers that are not boat owners don't have to pay for that, but it is the boating community that end up footing the cost."
Leaking vessels can create contaminated environments that put investigating divers at risk. Consider these risks ahead of time by consulting a company that specializes in insurance for commercial divers.