The US Coast Guard informed that its crews responded on Tuesday to the grounding of the 223-foot Togo-flagged cargo vessel ‘Ocean Spirit I’, just off the entrance of the Charlotte Amalie Harbor East Gregory Channel, in the Virgin Islands.
USCG marine casualty investigators investigated the cause of the grounding, with no signs of distress or oil leaking from the vessel being reported, with the East Gregory Channel entrance remaining open to maritime traffic.
The crewmembers of the ‘Ocean Spirit I’ completed the sounding of the vessel’s fuel and ballast tanks while Sea Tow-St. Thomas crews performed an underwater damage assessment of the vessel’s hull.
USCG Marine Safety Detachment St. Thomas personnel are cooperating with the master and owner of the ‘Ocean Spirit I’ and the vessel’s salvage company to prevent any potential environmental impact or damage to the vessel’s hull during refloating and removal operations.
Watchstanders at USCG Sector San Juan where contacted by St. Thomas Harbor pilots at approximately 5 a.m. Tuesday (local hour), who reported the incident.
