Washington state airlifts derelict boats from island

Fourteen derelict boats went flying this week as the Washington Department of Natural Resources cleared them from an island. The department used aircraft and ground personnel to haul boats to the mainland for deconstruction. The boats reportedly drifted onto the uninhabited Squaxin Island in southern Puget Sound after being abandoned.

Private contractors typically handle vessel removal, according to the Department of Natural Resources website—but this time, the department used one of its own aircraft to cut down on costs. A $1 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration helped fund the operation. Since 2002, the department has pulled 1,205 derelict boats from Washington waterways, its website said. As of March about 300 more vessels were on a list for retrieval.

Why fly the boats? The department opted to airlift the boats because they were found in hard-to-reach coves, were stuck in mud, or had drifted up to treeline, according to the Associated Press.

What is Squaxin Island? The small island was once the home of the Squaxin Island Tribe after it ceded most of its territory to the American government in 1854. While no one lives on the island today, tribe members still use it for fishing, hunting, camping, and other activities, according to the tribe’s website. Only tribe members are allowed on the island without a special permit.