The S.S. Arrow may have sank more than 40 years ago, but the repercussions are still creating environmental concerns in Canada. According to the CBC, the Canadian Coast Guard is taking action to contain fuel leaking from the ship, specifically hiring professional divers to assess the damage. The investigation comes in response to several liters of oil which are though to have leaked out the wreck.
Ryan Green of the local Coast Guard told the source that "We haven't had any visual signs of any impacts [to marine life] and certainly our partners with Fisheries and Oceans and the Department of Environment don't see a problem with it." All the same, he noted that the cleanup effort will be immediate and dependent on good weather for effectiveness.
This isn't the first time fuel from the Arrow has caused concerns. A report from the U.S. Department of the Navy said that more than 10,000 gallons of Bunker "C" fuel escaped from the ship's tanks after it initially grounded in February 1970. Using a transfer barge and various techniques and equipment, the Canadian and American governments set about cleaning up the spill.
The craft had originally been en route to Port Hawkesbury in Nova Scotia when it sank in Chedabucto Bay. It broke up in the force of the impact and left more than 1 million gallons of oil in the ship's cargo tanks. The new oil sheen was originally spotted this August by a flyover crew from the Canadian government.
Insurance for commercial divers may keep operators covered as they investigate older wreck sites that have again become a problem.