SEATTLE -- Crews on Thursday removed an old derelict vessel that's been submerged near the Port of Kingston.
The 70-foot halibut trawler has been on the Department of Natural Resources' radar for years. The boat's owner had been trying to get it moored at the port, but he couldn't get it insured, so he abandoned it.
The boat has deteriorated and jeopardizes nearby eelgrass beds and geoduck tracts.
During high tide Thursday morning, a crew with contractor Global Diving and Salvage lifted the boat out of the water with a crane onto a barge, which transported the boat from the site.
The Department of Natural Resources moves vessels like this through their derelict vessel program, but a spokesperson said the program needs more funding.
