Articles Posted in Vessel Groundings

A Boston whale watch boat ran aground on a rocky ledge and began taking on water, forcing evacuation of 174 passengers and crewmen. The accident happened on July 3rd near Deer Island in Boston Harbor. The 87-foot long tour boat MASSACHUSETTS was reportedly traveling at 18 knots when it struck rocks at a place called Devil’s Back Ledge. The tour boat began to take on water and list with its bow down. Numerous vessels in the area assisted the Coast Guard in rescuing the passengers who were taken three miles to a pier in Hull. Remarkably, no serious injuries were noted at the time of the accident although the unexpected collision threw many passengers to the deck. The MASSACHUSETTS is owned by Massachusetts Bay Lines of Boston, which owns and operates harbor cruises and tours.
The accident is under investigation by the Coast Guard. Devil’s ledge/rock is a well known navigational hazard in Boston Harbor and it appears that navigational error will be the focus of the investigation. Even in well known and charted waters, vessel owners and tour operators must be fully ready to respond in case of a disaster.

Four people were rescued from the Grays Harbor Jetty after their small pleasure boat ran aground Saturday. The Coast Guard responded to a May Day call from the vessel after it had run aground on the jetty. All four persons were able to safely make it to the jetty. The cause of the accident is unknown at this time. The vessel was able to be freed from the jetty and towed to Westport, Washington.

A 648-foot container ship, the PACIFIC FLORES, has run aground in the Columbia River near Kalama, Washington. The ship reportedly ran aground on its port bow after losing steering. Two tug boats are on the scene and have been able to refloat the vessel that is carrying 600 tons of fuel. The forward tanks of the ship have been sounded and there appear to be no signs of leaking fuel at this time. No injuries were reported in the accident, and the accident is under investigation by the Coast Guard and Department of Ecology.

The PACIFIC BULLY, a 58-foot fishing vessel, has reportedly gone aground near Huntington Beach, California. The four crewmen aboard the vessel are all reported safe. A salvage contractor has been hired to remove the wreck and prevent the threat of pollution. The cause of the accident is currently unknown and under investigation.

The Willamette Queen, an 87-foot-long sightseeing sternwheeler, has run aground near Oregon City. The incident happened around 5:30 P.M. on Sunday. There were no reported injuries to the 80 passengers on board the vessel. Two Coast Guard vessels and a tug responded to the accident and were able to free the Willamette Queen and tow it to Willamette Park in Portland.

The Coast Guard has reported that on August 11, 2009 at approximately 11:00 p.m. the 87 foot Coast Guard Patrol Boat SEA LION was near Sucia Island State Park when it came across the 30 foot wooden recreational boat GYPSY grounded on some rocks. The Coast Guard station in Bellingham, WA dispatched a smaller cutter to rescue the owner and his passenger. No injuries have been reported.

According to the Coast Guard, the GYPSY was known to have 50 gallons of diesel fuel on board but no pollution has been identified.

The Coast Guard is concerned over possible fuel leakage from the grounded fishing vessel, MAR GUN. The vessel went aground early yesterday morning on St. George Island. The five-member crew of the MAR GUN was rescued from the vessel by a United States Coast Guard helicopter. However, the grounded vessel is reportedly carrying 15,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and is near a fur seal and sea lion rookery; an island which is also home to one of the largest nesting colonies of sea birds in the Northern Hemisphere. Because of the sensitive nature of the environment, the Coast Guard has mobilized the National Strike Force’s Pacific Strike Force Team to respond to the threat of pollution, and they will reportedly be working to remove the fuel and lube oil from the vessel. They are anticipated to be on the scene late Friday afternoon. No pollution has been reported at this time. The MAR GUN crew transferred fuel to the vessel’s interior tanks prior to abandoning the vessel.

The MAR GUN is a 112-foot Seattle based trawler that fishes in the Bering Sea for pollock. The details of the cause of the grounding are unclear at this time, and the United States Coast Guard will be conducting further investigations.