PORT TOWNSEND – The tuna trawler found five years ago laden with 5,538 pounds of cocaine in the state’s biggest maritime drug bust has been towed out of Port Townsend en route to Neah Bay.
The 91-foot vessel, seized Feb. 21, 2001, sat rusting for about since late 2002 in dry storage at the Port of Port Townsend boat yard, and more than a year before then in the Platypus Marine boat yard in Port Angeles.
Port of Port Townsend officials, who are short on storage space in their boat yard, indicated Monday that they were glad to see the vessel go.
“Before they launched it, they painted over the name,” said Port Deputy Director Jim Pivarnik, adding that the rest of the vessel also received a coat of paint.
In Neah Bay, the former Western Wind is expected to be returned to its original use – commercial fishing.
Port of Port Townsend and Makah tribal officials said a Neah Bay resident and boat-buying agent, Randy Hahn, acquired the 100-foot steel vessel at a recent Port of Port Townsend auction for a winning bid of $37,777.77.
Shortly after its seizure, the vessel was appraised at about $100,000.
