A historic ship, the "Aurora," is currently sinking in the California Delta, causing significant environmental concerns as it leaks diesel fuel and oil into the waterway. The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office confirmed the incident, which is taking place along Empire Tract and Eight Mile Roads in the area known as Little Potato Slough.
The Aurora, a 293-foot cruise ship originally named the "Wappen von Hamburg," was built in 1955 in Hamburg, Germany. It gained fame as the inspiration for "The Love Boat" and has appeared in various media, including the James Bond film "From Russia With Love" and the TV show "Baywatch." After decades of service, it was bought from Craigslist in 2008 by its current owner.
"The biggest priority is containing that leak," stated Heather Brent, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office. The focus is on preventing harm to local wildlife and ensuring that recreational activities in the delta, such as boating and swimming, are not affected.
Assisting in the response are the U.S. Coast Guard, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Office of Emergency Services, and Environmental Health. According to Petty Officer Stephen McConnell of the U.S. Coast Guard, efforts are underway to mitigate the pollution. Although the exact amount of fuel released has not been determined, clean-up operations are expected to complete within four to five days—a swift response compared to previous incidents.
Christopher Wilson, who owned the Aurora until a few months ago, expressed his devastation over the sinking. "I was on it almost 24/7 and when I wasn't, I had a watchman on it all the time. We had bilge alarms and bilge pumps all set up and ready to go, so anything that happened, we had all the equipment to keep it floating," Wilson shared, highlighting the extensive efforts made to preserve the ship.
As the community and environmental teams rally to address the spill and minimize its impact, no oiled wildlife has yet been reported. Further details on what caused the hole in the ship have not been released.
