Two Boats Sink in Middle Ship Channel

On Monday at approximately 10:46 p.m., 2 vessels (a 52-foot towing vessel named Delta Amber and a 26-foot dredging vessel named Nicholas) sunk in Mobile Ship Channel, just north of Gaillard Island. The crew of Miss Sammy Lee reported the incident to the U.S. Coast Guard and were responsible for rescuing the crews of both sunken vessels. Later, the crewmembers of Delta Amber and Nicholas were transferred to Dog River Marina.

While reports state that no individuals were injured during the sinking, there has since been an oil sheen reported on the water with a surface area of 50 yards by 1 mile. At the time of the incident, all of the vessels were involved in dredging operations; it is reported that the sunken vessels had been holding a combined 2,000 gallons of fuel and lube oil. Recovery efforts are underway and a boom has been deployed around the vessels. There are also salvage plans in place, and the cause of the incident is under investigation.