An 82-foot tugboat sank in the Columbia River on Sunday night, spilling oil product into the river, according to a U.S. Coast Guard official.

Petty Officer 1st Class Levi Read, an agency spokesman, said officials estimate not much oil product entered the river. The total is less than the 300 gallons divers removed from five tanks on the vessel, but officials aren't sure of the exact amount, he said.

No one has reported the sunken vessel affecting wildlife or being a navigation hazard, Read said in a news release. He said Clay Jonak, owner of the wooden-hulled vessel, reported it had 100 gallons of residual diesel fuel onboard when it sank in Goble, which is in Columbia County.

Read said Jonak purchased the boat, named Earnest, to scrap it. Officials don't know how the vessel sank, Read said.

Officials set up containment boom around the vessel "to minimize further environmental impact," Read said. The boom will remain in place overnight.

Read said Jonak and state officials will determine whether the vessel will be recovered from the river.

Officials tapped into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for the cleanup of oil product from the vessel and water, Read said. They also contracted divers "to address any oil or other sources of pollution on the vessel Monday morning," he said.

He said Jonak owns several old barges and tugboats in the area and that Jonak has been trying to salvage or scrap the vessels.

-- Jim Ryan

jryan@oregonian.com

503-221-8005; @Jimryan015