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Tag: Prince William Sound

Raidawn

Raidawn

Photo: USCG

The 49 foot long fishing vessel Raidawn was ran ashore in Main Bay, Prince William Sound.   The Raidawn had struck a rock in the bay resulting in holing the hull and water ingress.  The crew requested assistance from the Coast Guard while another fishing vessel assisted in towing the Raidawn to shore.  The Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter to the scene which spotted an oil sheen around the Raidawn.   The vessel had some 3,200 gallons of diesel on board at the time of the grounding.   No reports of injuries.   Authorities have personnel on site to monitor any further release of pollution.   The owner of the  Raidawn was issued an order to remove the remaining fuel and make temporary repairs before towing the fishing vessel back into the water.

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Exxon Valdez Scrapped 23 Years Later…

Exxon Valdez Scrapped 23 Years Later…

2007 photo before converted to an ore carrier

The infamous oil tanker Exxon Valdez has been sold for demolition.   The tanker had changed hands many times since it had run aground in Prince William Sound in 1989.  The vessel was converted from an oil tanker to an ore carrier in 2007 and was sailing as the  Dong Fang Ocean until 2012.  In November 2010, the Dong Fang Ocean collided with the Aali in the South China Sea severely damaging both vessels.  In March 2012, the vessel was sold for scrap and renamed to Oriental Nicety. It made its last voyage under her own power to Singapore where it will be dismantled.

The Exxon Valdez ran up on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound on March 24, 1989.  The vessel’s tanks were ruptured allowing upwards to over 11 million gallons of oil into the water.   The cause of the sinking was focused on the captain who was below deck sleeping off an alcohol “bender”, but more problems were revealed later in the investigation.  The tanker’s radar was not functional for over a year before the incident.  There was a lack of equipment and personnel to cope with an oil spill.   As the investigation revealed, there was a widespread failure in the industry requiring new laws and reforms.  The Valdez was the worse oil spill in United States waters until the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

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LuLu Belle Aground

LuLu Belle Aground

The 65-foot charter yacht Lulu Belle was reported high and dry at Hinchinbrook in Prince William Sound, Alaska.  The Lulu Belle had sailed from Port Angeles heading to Alaska when it went aground.  The owner and his wife contacted the Coast Guard who dispatched a helicopter to the scene.   The helicopter was able to evacuate the couple safely to the Valdez airport.   No reports of injuries and no pollution was released.   The yacht was to be towed to Valdez.

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