Nestucca cargo barge incident
The Washington State Department of Ecology and the U.S. Coast Guard closely monitored a barge that broke loose from the tug Miki Hana owned by Sause Brothers. The barge is carrying construction equipment and has about 600 gallons of diesel fuel on board.
Summary information
Initially, seven miles off mouth of Columbia River
The barge Nestucca in the water. Photo by USCG.
Status updates
May 21, 2010
The Miki Hana and Nestucca have successfully made the transit to Astoria, Oregon. New tow gear will be installed, the cargo will be inspected to ensure it is secure and will then continue to Hawaii.
May 20, 2010
Ecology and the Coast Guard are closely monitoring the efforts of a tugboat crew after it successfully regained control of a barge that was lost in tow Wednesday.
Station Cape Disappointment received a call at approximately 6:50 p.m. from the tugboat Miki Hana stating the cable being used to tow a 330-foot barge had snapped in 20-foot seas 10 miles west of Astoria during last night's storm.
The master of the Miki Hana requested Coast Guard presence on scene due to the hazards of working on deck in high winds and seas.
Air Station Astoria, Oregon, dispatched an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew to monitor the Miki Hana crew as they attempted to regain control of the barge.
Initial attempts made by the Miki Hana crew were unsuccessful.
The Coast Guard remained in close contact with the Miki Hana crew over the next several hours, and coordinated with the owners, the states of Washington and Oregon and the member agencies of the Regional Response Team.
At approximately 11:10 p.m. the Miki Hana crew retrieved the barge using an Orville Hook.
The barge, containing approximately 700,000 pounds of construction material and 400 gallons of diesel fuel, remains offshore under the control of the Miki Hana.
Current position is 22 miles west of the entrance to Grays Harbor. The barge Nestucca is still tethered to the tug Miki Hana via the Orville hook attached to the starboard leg of the tow bridle.
The Nestucca is still dragging approximately 1,600 feet of 2” tow cable. The tug Navaho is positioned nearby and is standing by to render assistance if necessary.
Due to the favorable weather that is predicted, the Miki Hana/Nestucca will be rerouted south toward the Columbia River. The anticipated bar crossing will be approximately Friday p.m. or Saturday depending on the weather and tide conditions.
May 19, 2010
The Washington State Department of Ecology and the U.S. Coast Guard closely monitored a barge that broke loose from the tug Miki Hana owned by Sause Brothers. The tow line to the cargo barge Nestucca broke about seven miles off shore from the mouth of the Columbia River.
The barge is carrying construction equipment and has about 600 gallons of diesel fuel on board. The barge is drifting north in rough weather, with winds at 30 knots and 24 foot waves.
More information about the incident will be provided as soon as it becomes available.