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Tag: Alaska

Ocean Eagle

Ocean Eagle

Ocean Eagle
Photo: uscg

On March 1, the 31 meter long tugboat Ocean Eagle ran aground on Mariposa Reef near Sitka, Alaska. The Ocean Eagle has proceeding through the Sumner Strait with a barge loaded with containers when it ran hard aground on a reef. The Coast Guard received a report the Ocean Eagle grounding and the tug had suffered water ingress in the engine room.

A Jayhawk Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched from Sitka and hoisted all five crew off the Ocean Eagle. No reports of injuries. Two Coast Guard cutters along with two tugs arrived on scene on March 2 to assist in salvage operations. A small sheen was spotted around the Ocean Eagle. The master of the Ocean Eagle stated the sheen was limited to a small amount of diesel fuel released from the tug’s day tank.

The following day, divers inspected the hull for damage.  Tugs completed dewatering the Ocean Eagle and was refloated. The barge remained aground as a section was almost up on the shoreline. Reports state the barge and tugboat had some 110,000 gallons of diesel fuel on board at the time. The Ocean Eagle is to be towed to Ketchikan and the barge is to be refloated and towed to Sitka.

Samson Mariner

Samson Mariner

Samson Mariner
Photo: krbd.org

On February 16, the 30 meter long tugboat Samson Mariner and 322 foot long barge Saint Elias off Gravina Island on Rosa Reef near Ketchikan, Alaska.  The vessels were proceeding to Valdez via the Inside Passage in calm seas when the vessels ran aground on the northeast end of Gravina Island. The Samson Mariner sustained hull damage with a 2 inch gash in the hull rupturing the port fuel tank. Some 1,100 gallons of diesel fuel was released into the water before the crew was able to plug the leak. Authorities were alerted and arrived on scene placing a containment boom around the tug.  The Samson Mariner and the Saint Elias were later refloated and towed to Ward Cove.

Reports state there were no injuries and no damage to the Saint Elias which had some 40,000 gallons of diesel fuel on board at the time of the incident. The Coast Guard and Alaskan authorities continued to monitor the situation while contractors attempt to recover the released fuel using booms and absorbent pads. The cause of the grounding was not reported. The Saint Elias had run aground before in 2011 off the San Juan Islands, Washington.

 

Predator

Predator

Predator
Photo: uscg

On Feburary 13, the fishing vessel Predator ran hard aground near Akutan, Alaska. The fishing vessel had ran aground in 10 foot seas and 25 mph winds just off the shore.  The hull struck the seabed hard resulting in an 8 inch crack in the hull allowing water ingress into the vessel.  The three crew on board attempted to control the water ingress with the vessel’s pumps, but the flooding was too much for the pumps to handle.

The crew then requested assistance with a Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter dispatched to the scene. The helicopter arrived a short time later  and hoisted off all three crewman to safety. No reports of injuries.

The Coast Guard stated they will monitor the Predator for any potential release of pollution. Additional reports state that salvage may not be possible due to the extent of hull damage already sustained to the fishing vessel.