VALDEZ, AK -- December 19, 1997 -- No one was injured when a small work boat capsized and sank yesterday at the Valdez Marine Terminal. The two men on board the boat were immediately rescued by a second work boat. The vessel is a 22-foot oil spill response boat used to pull boom around berthed tankers. The cause of the incident is under investigation. It is believed that in the process of passing a line from a buoy used to anchor the berth containment boom, the line became fouled in the propeller of the second work boat. The vessel was pulled sideways, took on water and capsized.

A light sheen appeared on the water. Three self-propelled skimmers were deployed. Additional work boats set containment boom. The crews worked through the night to contain, recover and monitor the sheen. Divers will be on-site at noon Friday to investigate the recovery of the vessel.

There has been no impact on tanker loading operations.