Loaded barge bound for Seattle sinking off central B.C. coast

A barge carrying numerous cargo containers is sinking in the waters off British Columbia’s central coast, and the local First Nation says there is concern about possible pollution because it’s unclear what’s on board.

The Canadian Coast Guard said in a statement Wednesday that the tug boat Malolo was en route from Alaska to Seattle when it reported Monday that the barge it was towing was taking on water.

The coast guard said divers hired by the tug’s owner are at the scene and trying to assess why the barge is taking on water, and the Heiltsuk Nation’s marine emergency response team has also been deployed.

“There is currently no report of pollution,” the Coast Guard statement said. “The Canadian Coast Guard is collaborating with the Heiltsuk Nation, Transport Canada, and the tug owner to ensure an appropriate response.”

Photos of the listing barge show more than 200 containers, stacked four and five high, along with some vehicles on top. 

Heiltsuk hereditary chief William Housty, who is also the director of the Nation’s Integrated Resource Management Department, said his main concern is the fact that the tug operator has not disclosed what is in the containers.

“Visually, we can see multiple motor vehicles and some other boats that are on trailers that are on the barge,” Housty said in an interview. “But other than that, we have absolutely zero idea what’s inside the containers, which has posed a big issue with us because we want to be able to prepare for a potential response. 

“It’s hard for us to do that when we don’t know what we’re dealing with.”

The Heiltsuk Nation said in a statement issued Wednesday that dive inspections have confirmed one side of the barge was compromised and is taking on water. 

“Crews have stopped pumping the barge for fear that it might disturb the existing air pockets that are keeping it afloat,” the statement says. 

Housty said the Nation has placed booms in some ecologically and culturally sensitive areas near the barge.

“Right now, we’re pretty well just monitoring the situation,” he said. “And the report (Wednesday) morning from our crew is that not a lot had changed through the night, so it remained stable and floating.

“We’re hoping that it stays on that pace so we can get to the point of recovery.”

Housty cautioned, however, that the risk remains that the barge will sink completely in a “worst-case scenario,” operator Alaska Marine Lines has told the Heiltsuk Nation that there’s an opportunity to salvage the vessel, and welders and crane operators are arriving.

The vessel was moved to a safer harbour to await a secondary tug and barge to off load the contents of the listing barge, the statement said. 

The Coast Guard says pollution response equipment is on standby in case it is needed for any cleanup.

The Heiltsuk statement said some poor weather is expected so the barge is to be moved to a safer location and a “precautionary boom” placed around it.

“Plans for a secondary tug and barge are in the works to come and remove weight from the current barge, but a timeline is not yet known,” the Heiltsuk statement said. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 19, 2025.