Some 1000 gallons (3785 liters) of diesel fuel spilled from a damaged offshore supply vessel near Cameron, Louisiana on Tuesday.
A Station Lake Charles 29-foot Response Boat-Small boat crew and Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles personnel conducted an on-scene investigation and oversaw oil recovery operations after the 145-foot offshore supply vessel Candy Store ran aground north of Monkey Island, near Cameron, Louisiana, Oct. 15, 2018. It is estimated that 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into the marine environment due to damage to one of the vessel’s diesel tanks. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles.
First, Coast Guard on Monday said it was assisting the Candy Store offshore support vessel which was taking on water , without providing much detail into the causes of the incident.
In an update on Tuesday, U.S. Coast Guard said the 145-foot offshore supply vessel had run aground north of Monkey Island, near Cameron and spilled diesel into the sea.
Coast Guard said: “It is estimated that 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into the marine environment due to damage to one of the vessel’s diesel tanks. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) personnel completed shore and waterside pollution assessments while overseeing the cleanup efforts of the contracted Oil Spill Response Organization (OSRO).”
“Due to weather, including the recent steady rainfall, the spilled diesel fuel has largely dissipated and poses minimal threat to the environment or public,” Coast Guard added
Per the Coast Guard report, the vessel owners and OSRO prevented the spill of an additional estimated 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel which were in the damaged tank by transferring the fuel to undamaged vessel tanks and containers. The vessel is owned by the company named Candy Fleet.
The cause of the incident is still under investigation and the vessel poses no threat to navigation at this time, the Coast Guard explained on Tuesday.
“Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles personnel are working with the company’s salvage representatives and divers to develop a plan to affect (sic) temporary repairs to the vessel so it can be safely moved to a shipyard for permanent repairs,” Coast Guard said.