Boat submerged in river

Transport Canada says a small boat wrecked and abandoned in the South Thompson River isn’t posing a pollution risk and will be hauled out of the water by a contractor.

The boat is partially sunk near a stretch of beach located near the Yacht Club in downtown Kamloops, close to the south shore of the river. It has apparently been there for some time.

In an emailed statement to Castanet, Transport Canada said it took charge of the wrecked vessel from the Canadian Coast Guard on Sept. 27.

“A hazard assessment determined it posed no risk of pollution or danger to the public, the environment or infrastructure,” the statement said.

Transport Canada said it inspected the vessel and determined it was abandoned and had no identified owner. A notice of intent to safely dispose of the vessel was posted on the boat itself.

“The process moving forward for removing the vessel will depend on the contractor chosen,” the statement said.

Transport Canada said the job of hauling the wrecked boat out of the water is unlikely to be affected by ongoing cleanup operations for the Red Bridge debris, which is located just downstream.