A U.S. Coast Guard aircrew from Sitka, Alaska rescued five crew members from a tugboat Thursday after running aground in the Sumner Strait in southeast Alaska.
The aircrew hoisted the five people from a barge attached to the 102-foot tug Ocean Eagle and transported them to Sitka after the tug began taking on water Wednesday night.
The Coast Guard says it received a report at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday from the crew of the Ocean Eagle that the tug and barge had run aground on Mariposa Reef on the south side of Strait Island and was taking on water in the engine room. At about 3:15 a.m. Thursday, the tug and the barge had refloated and drifted to Alvin Cove.
The crew of the Ocean Eagle reported the tug is carrying a total of 58,000 gallons of diesel fuel divided among several tanks. The barge is carrying mixed dry cargo and 52,000 gallons of diesel.
The Coast Guard reported Thursday that any discharge of product was unknown. The Coast Guard is in consultation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on oil trajectory calculations.
The Coast Guard Cutters Maple and Liberty arrived on scene with pollution response equipment.
Commercial tugs contracted by the Ocean Eagle’s owner are on scene to dewater, effect repairs and mitigate potential pollution.
“The aircrew faced harsh weather conditions early Thursday morning when they saved five crew members off the barge,” said Cmdr. Gina Freeman, search and rescue mission coordinator for Sector Juneau. “Fortunately, there was no loss of life. Today, Coast Guard Sector Juneau and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation continue to work with the tug’s owner to remove the tug and barge and minimize any pollution to the environment.”
Weather on scene was 34-mph winds with 6-foot seas and 11.5 miles of visibility.
I crewed that boat when we were doing round turns in Icy Straight when Kulluk broke tow and went ground just in front of us…great boat, great skipper (Spike), great crew…soured me on Brusco.
[QUOTE=tugsailor;195829]Who are they hiring that do these groundings? Desperate guys from the oil patch who work cheap, but have never been to Alaska before?[/QUOTE]
What is your deal? You have posts that have you sounding reasonably intelligent. You’ve been thanked thousands of times, so obviously some people value your commentary, but damn dude the majority of the time you just come across as a heckler. What did the oil patch ever do to you? Did you ever even work in it? C Captain did his time at it, and whether folks agree or disagree with his opinion he has at least has a basis for it. The only 2 things I can figure is that you either tried the patch and it didn’t work out, or your step dad worked in it and you’re a ginger.
Why don’t you tap into into some of your vaunted experience, and share what you think what wrong in this instance. So that others may avert a similar fate.
[QUOTE=tugsailor;195829]Who are they hiring that do these groundings? Desperate guys from the oil patch who work cheap, but have never been to Alaska before?[/QUOTE]
What is your deal? You have posts that have you sounding reasonably intelligent. You’ve been thanked thousands of times, so obviously some people value your commentary, but damn dude the majority of the time you just come across as a heckler. What did the oil patch ever do to you? Did you ever even work in it? C Captain did his time at it, and whether folks agree or disagree with his opinion he has at least has a basis for it. The only 2 things I can figure is that you either tried the patch and it didn’t work out, or your step dad worked in it and you’re a ginger. Why don’t you tap into into some of your vaunted experience, and share what you think what wrong in this instance. So that others may avert a similar fate.
