The U.S. Coast Guard and State of Alaska established a Unified Command on Thursday to coordinate operations for further assessment of the historic Princess Kathleen shipwreck. The Princess Kathleen sank in 1952 with an estimated 155,000 gallons of fuel.

The Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Coast Guard determined further examination by divers is necessary to accurately assess the amount of oil on board the Princess Kathleen and the risk of future pollution.

The Unified Command's objectives pertaining to the assessment are: personnel safety, environmental protection and local partnership. The oil spill liability trust fund will remain open to fund the operation.

Click here to see full press release by U.S. Coast Guard.