A SUNKEN boat remains on the floor of Lake Macquarie surrounded by a boom to stop any contamination leaking out while a salvage operation is organised.
NSW Maritime and NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) crews were called to Valentine near the bowling club on Sunday morning after reports a small cruiser-like vessel was sinking.
Passersby raised the alarm and a team from Marine Rescue NSW was deployed early to check out the situation, and confirmed no person was on board in need of assistance.
Crews from the Wallarah fire brigade took a look at the vessel and its surroundings then linked up with the team from the Fire and Rescue NSW station at Swansea and HAZMAT.
HAZMAT and RFS crews deployed a boom around the vessel to make sure any contaminants were contained and did not leak out into the water.
"The boom will remain in place until a salvage operation is organised," a spokesperson from the Wallarah RFS brigade said.
"Well done to the crews involved."
The recovery of the boat from the lake floor is now the owner's responsibility to organise.
