[Photo Update] Tugboat Sinks at Lake Union Pier

The 72-foot tug Iver lies in approximately 16 feet of water after sinking at the pier at Mariner Properties on Lake Union near Seattle, Sept. 30, 2013. The tug, which had been converted into a houseboat, sank early in the morning, discharging approximately 200 gallons of diesel fuel.

The Coast Guard and Washington State Department of Ecology coordinated with the tug's owner to recover the discharged oil and salvage the vessel. 

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The Coast Guard is responding to a 72-foot tug that reportedly sank at its pier on Lake Union near Seattle, Monday.

Response crews have deployed boom and absorbent pads around the sunken tug Iver to reduce the spread of any fuel released from the vessel.

Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received notification from the vessel’s caretaker at 7:30 a.m., reporting that the Iver had sunk and that there was a fuel sheen in the water.

The Iver is no longer used as a commercial tug and has been converted for private use. The owner reports that the tug is capable of holding up to 1,700 gallons of fuel, however, the exact amount on board is unknown at this time.

Coast Guard response crews from Sector Puget Sound are on scene and coordinating response efforts with the Washington Department of Ecology and the owner of the vessel.

The owner is contracting for cleanup efforts and salvage of the tug.