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Shrimp Boat Sinks After Fire at Joe Patti’s Marina, Spilling Diesel into Pensacola Harbor
A shrimp boat sank at Joe Patti’s Marina in Pensacola after a fire, spilling approximately 100 gallons of diesel into the harbor. Emergency teams are working to contain the spill and assess the situation.
PENSACOLA, Fla. — A 50-foot commercial shrimp boat sank at its berth near Joe Patti’s Marina after catching fire, discharging an estimated 100 gallons of diesel fuel into Pensacola Harbor. Emergency responders and spill containment teams worked through the evening to secure the site.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Mobile, watchstanders received emergency notification at 4:26 p.m. regarding a commercial fishing vessel engulfed in flames while moored in Pensacola Bay.
The Pensacola Fire Department arrived on the scene quickly, laying down water lines to suppress the heavy flames venting from the vessel. While firefighters were able to extinguish the fire, the structural damage and water accumulated during suppression efforts caused the trawler to capsize and sink alongside the dock.
Environmental Response and Spill Containment
As the vessel went under, diesel fuel from its onboard tanks began seeping into the surrounding water, creating a noticeable surface sheen across the harbor.
Response teams moved swiftly to prevent the fuel from spreading deeper into Pensacola Bay:
- Containment Booms: SeaTow crews deployed floating containment booms and sorbent pads around the submerged hull to isolate the sheen.
- Skimmers & Vacuum Trucks: Heavy recovery equipment, including a mechanical skimmer and vacuum truck, was brought in to extract fuel from the water surface.
- Multi-Agency Oversight: The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Mobile Incident Management Division coordinated with local authorities to supervise clean-up operations.
No Injuries or Wildlife Impact Reported
Coast Guard officials confirmed there were no reported injuries to vessel crew members or responding firefighters. Initial environmental evaluations showed no affected wildlife or waterfowl in the immediate vicinity.
While response crews worked inside the boomed containment area, harbor traffic in the surrounding channel was not reported as being affected.
The cause of the initial fire remains under investigation by local fire marshals and federal maritime authorities. Plans for raising and removing the sunken vessel from the harbor floor are expected to be evaluated once fuel extraction is complete.
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