Crews remove fuel from grounded boat at SF's Ocean Beach

SAN FRANCISCO -- U.S. Coast Guard and National Park Service crews are continuing efforts to remove a grounded fishing boat from San Francisco's Ocean Beach Wednesday, a Coast Guard lieutenant said.

The 37-foot fishing boat, the Paloma, operated by 51-year-old Santa Cruz resident Timothy Lybrand, ran aground near Seal Rock around 3:30 a.m. Monday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Lybrand abandoned the boat and has not been found. A search for him in the surrounding area was suspended Monday afternoon.

He has a $75,000 warrant out of Santa Clara County from May 2012 for a 2010 drug possession arrest. He failed to appear at his court date, according to Santa Clara County sheriff's officials.

Coast Guard Lt. Theo Vaughan said as of this morning, the boat has been pulled closer to the beach near the edge of Golden Gate Park.

Vaughan said two fuel tanks carrying 35 gallons of diesel fuel have been safely removed from the boat.

It does not appear that there was any major spillage, he said.

He said the National Park Service has assumed control of the removal process now that the boat has been pulled to the high tide line.

The removal is expected to last until Friday with crews breaking the vessel into small pieces that are carted into a dump truck at the beach parking lot, he said.

Vaughan advised the public to stay out of the removal zone on the beach as crews work to disassemble the boat.