NORTH AMERICA

Crew search called off after vessel fire

6 years ago

A search has been called off for missing crew members of a vessel that caught fire and sunk at a US port with two confirmed casualties.

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has ceased searching for two crew members from the Orion Marine Group-owned dredging vessel Waymon L Boyd. The vessel caught fire and subsequently broke apart and sank in the Port of Corpus Christi ship channel in Texas on 21 August. The Corpus Christi Ship Channel has been reopened with restrictions in place.

Sean Strawbridge, CEO of the Port of Corpus Christi, confirmed a “full investigation is underway” on 22 August.

The port confirmed a propane pipeline had ruptured and caught fire in a Facebook post on 21 August. The pipeline was subsequently shut off.

Two of the crew members were rescued on 21 August. The bodies of another two crew members were recovered on 22 August.

Dive and salvage operations commenced on 23 and are ongoing. A piece of the dredging vessel has been located in the middle of the channel and is in the process of being safely removed.

Approximately, 6,000 feet of absorbent boom was placed around the vessel. Another 4,000 feet of absorbent boom is available if needed. Air quality testing by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is ongoing.