OLD MASSETT, British Columbia (AP) — A Russian container ship carrying hundreds of tons of fuel was drifting without power in rough seas off British Columbia’s pristine, northern coast Friday, raising fears it could run aground and cause a spill.
The Canadian Forces’ joint rescue coordination center said the Russian carrier Simushir lost power late Thursday night off Haida Gwaii, also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, as it made its way from Everett, Washington state to Russia.
The ship is drifting northwest in stormy seas, away from shore, but Roger Girouard, an assistant commissioner with the Canadian Coast Guard, said it has no propulsion.
