Foul smell reported from potential diesel leak from sunken boats near Matlacha

Boats are still sunken or partially submerged more than a year after Hurricane Ian, and some date back to before the destructive storm.

A strong smell of diesel coming from those vessels in Lee County is raising concerns among locals.

John Simon has lived in Cape Coral for 33 years and is passionate about our waterways and wants something to be done.

“I’m very concerned with the environment,” said Simon.

Simon took WINK News out on the water on Monday to see and smell what he was concerned about.

“First time I went out for oysters, it was a strong diesel smell next to these sunken boats right outside of the Man in the Shape Pass,” said Simon.

Simon worries about potential diesel fuel leaking from several partially sunken boats near Matlacha.

“I’ve called the coast guard, marine patrol, I’ve called everybody,” said Simon.

And Simon is doing his best to spread the word.

“I just feel a passion because this is where I live. This is where the canals of Cape Coral, and the canals of where I get my seafood from, and so it’s just all interrelated,” said Simon.

WINK News contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission about what is being done.

FWC provided the following statement: “Derelict vessels are a priority for the FWC. The Division of Law Enforcement’s Boating and Waterways Section is spearheading a multi-year effort to dramatically reduce the backlog of derelict vessels currently on the waters of the state.”

Simon said he can somewhat understand a delay but not this amount of time.

“I’ve spoken to the FWC. I think I called them one month ago, just before my talk with the city council,” said Simon. “I’ve talked to the city council, and they gave me all kinds of promises: what they do, but again, no reaction.”

FWC said it investigated the vessels in question and found all were within the marina before Hurricane Ian on Matlacha. That means the marina and boat owners are responsible for removing them.

FWC said they are responsible for approximately 923 active derelict vessels as of Dec. 1, and 629 derelict vessels have been removed or are in the removal process investigations in the statewide derelict vessel database.