PAGO PAGO – In American Samoa, almost 200 litres of diesel fuel was removed yesterday from a long-liner that has run aground on the reef off the airport, the Seahawk 68.

The fuel removal operation had to be cut short because high swells made it unsafe for the clean-up crew to work.

Radio New Zealand’s correspondent in American Samoa, Monica Miller, says there’s an increasing threat oil will leak from a one-metre hole in the vessel’s hull, as efforts to salvage the boat are being hampered by the bad weather.

Jeremiah Winston of the Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team from Honolulu says they hope to continue pumping off the fuel remaining 1300 litres bit by bit throughout this week.

Winston says the vessel is still in one piece though it’s rocking back and forth on the reef.

He says they have nearly completed a booming operation to protect the harbour from any contaminants that maybe discharged accidentally.

Winston says it’s a fishing vessel so there’s fish, equipment and all kinds of stuff still onboard that has to be discharged eventually and the Coast Guard wants to try and prevent that from entering the water.

There is concern up to 4,000 litres of fuel and 75 tonnes of fish could be spilled into the ocean in American Samoa where a longliner ran aground.

The Taiwanese-flagged vessel hit the reef off Coconut Point on Friday, leaving its crew of 22 with minor cuts and scratches.

RNZI’s correspondent says the coastguard is still investigating what exactly happened.

“But some of the information that was given at a briefing was that the captain may have fallen asleep, and by the time he woke up the boat was already on the reef.

“Luckily all 22 crew members on board made it to shore safely, they suffered minor scratches, some of the residents of Coconut Point in Nuuli were able to help them get to shore safely.

“The biggest concerns now are a oil spill threat and there’s also concern that some of the catch of 75 tonnes that is on board that people will think that the fish they are seeing in the ocean is okay to eat.

“But the coastguard says that the fish is largely contaminated.”

Miller says the Taiwan-flagged vessel is lying on the reef on its port side and there’s a one-metre long gap in its hull. The coastguard was saying that it’s unlikely that it can be salvaged in one piece.

“The coastguard has put out a notice to people to please stay away from the vessel because there have already been incidents where people have been seen going out to where the vessel is on the reef. And that some may be trying to get some fish, or some of the equipment.

“The coastguard doesn’t want a situation where they will also have to go out and rescue people who make their way out there.

“The seas are still quite

rough and there’s expected to be more bad weather – waves of up to 15 feet,” Miller reported on Radio New Zealand’s Dateline Pacific.