Residents of Aunu’u Island are pleased that the vessel, which was grounded on a reef off-shore has been removed, thanks to efforts by local and federal agencies.
Agencies included the United States Coast Guard (USCG), NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa (NMSAS), Aunu’u village leaders, the National Park Service of American Samoa, the Lt. Governor’s Office, Port Administration, the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, DPS Marine Patrol, LBJ Medical Center - Emergency Medical Service, the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency (AS-EPA), the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA), NOAA-Office of Law Enforcement, Solar Inc., and Atlantic Pacific Marine Company.
The Ji Hyun was grounded on the reef offshore of Aunu’u for four months before it was tugged to the Pago Pago Harbor last Friday at 8a.m.
According to a statement from the NMSAS, Friday’s efforts followed several previous attempts to remove the vessel by the NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and U.S. Coast Guard, working with local federal and American Samoa government agencies, and private contractors.
“The key to this successful removal was a tandem pull by both of the harbor’s tug boats,” said a media release. The No. 1 Ji Hyun lost propulsion and became stranded on the evening of April 14, 2016.
It was grounded on the southwest side of Aunu’u since. The vessel was towed into Pago harbor by one of the harbor tugs and will be put into dry dock.
Efforts to remove the vessel began with the U.S. Coast Guard coordinating the initial response and fuel and hazardous material removal. “After the pollution threat was removed, NOAA took the lead on removal efforts, while the U.S. Coast Guard continued to provide technical expertise. Aunu’u village leaders continued to provide critical support as well,” said the NMSAS.
With the vessel successfully removed, the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries will now go to work, assessing any potential damage(s) to the coral reef and developing a restoration plan.
“This plan will determine whether restoration of the injury to the reef is possible and if not, determine an appropriate alternative site for restoration,” the agency reports.
Samoa News spoke to several residents of Aunu’u who were ecstatic that the vessel has been removed. “It’s something that had to be done,” said one of them. “It could’ve ended up like the vessel in Amouli, which has rusted and deteriorated at the site after being there for decades. Not only was it an eye sore, it became a hazard as some young people would use it as a place to hang out.”
Another resident added, “Who knows what damage the Jin Hyun has done to the reef, and what could’ve been, had it been allowed to remain there any longer.”
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