Sunken Excavator Not Leaking

A Ministry of Environment official says pollution from the train derailment into Kootenay Lake is minimal.

An excavator fell from a flat-bed rail car Friday and is under 30 to 40 feet of water.

Regional Emergency Response Officer Veron Novosad says there's an occasional small surface-sheen but the immediate area has been boomed off and there are no signs of any fuel or oil leaks.

He says it'll be quite a tricky operation to get the submerged excavator out of the water and the booms will remain in place for the extraction once it happens.

CP Rail says they're preparing a salvage operation that will ensure worker safety and the least possible environmental impact. It's not yet clear if the vehicle can be pulled out from a track-based crane or it a lake-based barge and crane will be needed.