A gas pipeline fire was reported near Port O’Connor, Texas, on Tuesday evening, according to data provided by the US Coast Guard. Namely, USCG Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a mayday call from the vessel ‘Jonathon King Boyd’, who reported the vessel was on fire after hitting a gas pipeline while conducting dredging operations.
In response, a Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew, MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and a Coast Guard Station Port O’Connor 29-foot response boat crew were launched to the area.
All crewmembers aboard the Jonathan King Boyd were safely removed by the vessel ‘Dakota’, who was on scene at the time of the fire.
As a result, a four mile safety zone was established around the scene. The Intracoastal Waterway is closed to traffic from mile marker 468 to mile marker 474 to include the Matagorda Ship Channel from the jetties to seven nautical miles inside the bay.
The impacted pipeline has been secured; the remaining gas is residual.
