Bunkering Tanker ‘Arca 1’ Aground in Nova Scotia

The Panama-flagged MV Arca 1 aground off Sydney, Nova Scotia, Sunday January 8, 2017. Photo: Fisheries and Oceans Canada

The Canadian Coast Guard is responding to the grounding of a bunkering tanker off Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia after the vessel experience engine failure.

Canada’s Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans reported the M/V Arca 1 ran aground at about 10 a.m. Sunday outside Sydney Harbour with 6 crew members on board.

By end of day Sunday all six crew had been airlifted to safety by a Royal Canadian Air Force helicopter and transported to Sydney. No injuries have been reported.

The Coast Guard arrived on scene Sunday and continued monitoring the situation overnight. As of Monday morning the operation had shifted from search and rescue to salvage and environmental response. So far no pollution has been reported.

The CCGS Earl Grey was on scene as of Monday.

A spokesman for the Canadian Coast Guard told CBC News that the vessel’s hull has not been compromised. The tanker, which is used to re-fuel other ships, has approximately 15 tonnes of bunker fuel, the spokesman said.

An Environmental Response Incident Command Post has been activated at the Coast Guard College to direct and coordinate the response, the Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans said on Twitter.

Weather is not believed to have played a role in the initial grounding, although the weather has helped push the vessel closer to shore.

The 1,317 DWT M/V Arca 1 was built in 1963 and is registered in Panama.

The video below show’s Sunday’s rescue:

#Arca1 tanker ship ran ashore near Sydney Mines NS. 6 crew onboard rescue chopper crew standing by #cbcns video credit:Rose Fricker Bonnar pic.twitter.com/ZGZf4YxGTF

— Steve Lawrence (@CBCcameraman) January 8, 2017

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