Canada: Zalinski Wreck Dangerous, Explosive

The Vancouver Sun reports that the 1946 wreck of the US Army transport General Zalinski is at risk of a large oil spill and possibly an explosion from bombs in its hold. The Canadian government is seeking international help to deal with the wreck. The ship ran aground and sank in the Grenville Channel, north of Hartley Bay, near the site of the recent sinking of the BC Ferries vessel Queen of the North. In 2003, oil was discovered on the surface near the site. Divers have sealed some leaks, although work has stopped due to fears about unexploded 500-pound bombs. Thanks to the blog Do fundo do mar...Sea bottom for the tip.

The Inside Passage is filled with stories of wrecked ships and lost lives. The Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society is a great resources for these stories.