CHARLESTON, SC NEWS - LIVE 5 WCSC Breaking News, Weather, SportsCoast Guard attempt to recover beached boat fails

Coast Guard attempt to recover beached boat fails

By Ian Silver, Live 5 News

KIAWAH ISLAND, SC (WCSC) - A beached boat is becoming more than just an inconvenience on Kiawah Island Wednesday as the Coast Guard fails to float it out to sea.

"After several days now, I think it's time for it to leave," Kiawah Island resident Dan McMahon said.

The 77-foot fishing boat, Nanami, ran aground on Kiawah Island on Friday after the crew says its anchor broke off overnight.

Wednesday the Coast Guard made its first and only attempt to float the boat back out to sea, using borrowed federal money.

After floating giant airbags underneath the boat and trying to pull it free from the sand... no luck.

"The motor vessel was lighted of 900 gallons of diesel fuel, hooked up to the vessel and moved approximately 10 feet," Coast Guard Lieutenant Jim Litzinger said.

Ten feet wasn't nearly enough.

Coast Guard officials say Wednesday was their best chance to move the boat without sinking big money into the removal project.

"...A north wind today, which was assisting us and pushing more water into the bay," Litzinger said. "So today was our best chance of getting the vessel."

Although Wednesday's attempt failed, officials say there are other options for removing the boat. Contractors say they could try floating giant rollers under the boat and rolling it into deeper water, or bringing out the heavy machinery and just digging the boat out.

State officials say it's now the boat owner's responsibility to get the boat off the beach.

But if the owner refuses...

"I don't think the people that live here will be too happy about having to be responsible for that," McMahon said.

The owner had not refused as of Wednesday evening, but negotiations between the owner and the state were still underway at that point.

And until a resolution is reached, the Coast Guard will remove any potentially hazardous materials and hope the boat doesn't move, which could make future recovery attempts even more difficult.

Officials with the South Carolina Department of  Environmental Control say the Town of Kiawah Island could apply for help removing the boat if they owner will not or cannot pay.

D.H.E.C has a $100,000 yearly budget to help remove boats stuck on the coast. But officials say any other attempt to move the boat would cost significantly more than that.