After issuing three summonses to the owner of a fishing boat that sunk in Huntington Harbor last week, Town of Huntington officials are working on removal and containment efforts to thwart possible environmental damage from the craft.
Peter Gens, of Kings Park, the owner of the doomed 56-foot Noli Eileen, was issued three summonses by the Town July 5, including pollution of waterways, unseaworthy vessel and an expired mooring permit, according to a Town press release Monday.
Despite efforts to keep the boat afloat, the vessel apparently .
Hydraulic oil and fuel estimated to total about 15 gallons were present on the boat at the time it sank, according to Gens. To contain any possible spill, an absorbent boom has been placed around the boat by Town officials.
The boat owner is required to correct the situation withing three days, per a notice of violation issued by the Town Bay Constables. In the meantime, Huntington Senior Harbormaster Harry Acker has been in contact with Gens' attorneys regarding removal. If discussions prove unsuccessful, the Town is prepared to remove the boat and seek reimbursement from the owner, accordng to the Town.
A dead battery could have caused the bilge pump to fail on the craft allowing water to fill the hull, according to an online comment.
The U.S. Coast Guard and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has been notified of the situation, according to the Town.
Formerly known as the Deep Adventures II from Pt. Pleasant Beach, N.J., the Noli Eileen once specialized in wreck fishing, sport diving and offshore tuna, according to noreast.com.
The boat, once a popular fishing vessel, has been moored in Huntington for several years. It is believed that it has not carried passengers since 2008, according to the Town.
A call to a published phone number from the website norieileen.com was not immediately returned to Patch Monday.
A passerby who frequently travels near the area where the boat sank told Patch he believes the fishing boat sank sometime between July 4-5 — the same night of the fatal boat accident which killed three children.
No passengers were on board when the boat sank.
