SENATE RESOLUTION

                             8757

By Senators Fraser, Snyder and Spanel

     WHEREAS, an environmental calamity was averted when the decommissioned oil tanker Atigun Pass was brought under control by the combined efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the tanker=s shipping agent, as the vessel drifted off the Washington Coast in a Pacific Ocean storm; and

     WHEREAS, On November 19, 2001, the Chinese tug De Da lost the primary towline of the 906-foot, single-hulled oil tanker Atigun Pass as it moved the giant vessel from Portland, Oregon, to a scrapping operation in China; and

     WHEREAS, Heavy weather prevented the De Da=s crew from recovering the towline of the drifting tanker and it was estimated that, without assistance, the Atigun Pass could run aground near Willapa Bay, spilling up to 25,000 gallons of fuel and residual oil; and

     WHEREAS, The Neah Bay rescue tug Barbara Foss traveled overnight through gale winds gusting up to eighty knots and ocean swells of thirty-four feet or more, and was the first tug to arrive at the scene, immediately starting the recovery operation upon its arrival; and

     WHEREAS, The Barbara Foss was joined in the rescue operation by the Sea Victory from Astoria, Oregon, and the Sea Venture from Seattle; and

     WHEREAS, The pilots and flight crews of helicopters dispatched from Helicopter AirTransport landed on the deck of the distressed vessel in high winds and ocean swells, allowing salvage crews from RivTow Marine to secure a temporary towline between the Atigun Pass and the tug boat Sea Venture; and 

     WHEREAS, On November 24, 2001, the Barbara Foss recovered an emergency towline and transferred it to the De Da, allowing the Chinese tug to resume a safe voyage;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate does hereby express its gratitude to the expert crews of the assisting tugs, helicopters, and salvage teams that risked their lives in dangerous sea conditions and prevented a major marine casualty; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Captain Bill Archer of the Barbara Foss, Captain Don Zeagler of the Sea Venture, Captain Don Schwartzman of the Sea Victory, the Astoria Coast Guard Air Station, Helicopter AirTransport Inc. and the RivTow Marine salvage team. 

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 8757,

adopted by the Senate February 28, 2002.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate