The MV Sili took on water while docked at the service wharf in Fagatogo on Saturday causing what is believed to be irreparable damage to its engines.
One of the Port Administration engineers on board the government tug Sailele, which was docked alongside the Sili, noticed the Sili was listing very low and went down to the engine room to check.
According to Coast Guard Lt. Al Blaisdell, the engineer discovered that only the engines were above water but everything else was submerged.
Coast Guard personnel worked with Port Administration crew to pump the water off and managed to save the Sili from sinking.
But the vessel’s engines were damaged.
The MV Sili has been the workhorse between the islands of Tutuila and Manu’a for about 20 years.
