Boat graveyard potential toxic disaster
Jamaica Bay has become a graveyard for boats with hundreds of shipwrecks clogging the waterway.
Some drift in the waters current, while others sink below the water’s surface where they can’t be seen.
Captains Bernie and Jack Schachner say the problem has spiraled out of control since Superstorm Sandy.
The co-owners of White Cap Marine Rescue Service, a boat towing company on the bay, have seen countless boaters colliding with the wrecks.
"They just drift freely," said Captain Bernie, "They end up in a different place every day."
Their real fear, however, is a potential toxic disaster in the bay that can unfold at any moment.
"A lot of these boats have gas tanks that are full," Schachner said, "As time goes by, the metal gets eaten away and the pollution leaks into the environment."
The captains say they've been knocking on politicians' doors for years but the issue hasn't been addressed.
"Where's all the Sandy money? Billions have been spent on cleaning up the environment and houses, now everything are quiet," Schachner said, "We still have a mess over here."