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HONOLULU – Petty Officer 1st Class Charles B. Palmer was recognized as the 2014 active-duty enlisted person of the year for the 14th Coast Guard District during a ceremony at Coast Guard Base Honolulu, Friday.

As the executive petty officer of Coast Guard Cutter Ahi, Palmer guided the crew through 25 multi-mission patrols, 74 law enforcement boardings, 15 search and rescue cases, multiple cruise ship escorts and law enforcement operations and stood more than 1,000 hours of underway watch.

Palmer, who was also the recipient of the 2014 Navy League Sailor of the Year Award, served as an instructor for Sector Honolulu’s officer-in-charge review board and as the Vice-President of the Hawaiian Islands Enlisted Association.

In addition to his regular Coast Guard duties, Palmer provided seamanship training during a week-long Sea Scout cruise and volunteered as guest presenter at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math exposition at Coast Guard Base Honolulu. He is also actively pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration.

The EPOY Program is designed to recognize exemplary men and women from the active and reserve enlisted work force who are top performers and reflect the Coast Guard’s core values of “Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty.”

Considered the “best and brightest” from the field, EPOY recipients are selected by a panel of senior enlisted members and evaluated against a set of established criteria that includes performance, work ethics, military bearing, standards of conduct and a strong community service commitment.

The regional winners are eligible for national honors along with their peers from other Coast Guard regions across the nation. The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Steven W. Cantrell, will recognize the national winners in an award ceremony later this spring.

For more information, contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at (808) 535-3230.

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HONOLULU – Petty Officer 1st Class Alfred C. Jurison III was recognized as the 2014 reserve enlisted person of the year during a ceremony at Coast Guard Base Honolulu, Friday.

Jurison, a boatswain’s mate assigned to Coast Guard Station Honolulu, was recalled to active service in 2014 as an instructor for Pacific Command, Joint Interagency Task Force West where he frequently deployed throughout the Pacific with the Navy teaching basic maritime law enforcement fundamentals to 160 students from four partner nations. While on a mission to the Maldives in June 2014, Jurison demonstrated extensive first aid knowledge when stabilizing an international student following an accident.

As a Response Boat-Small coxswain, Jurison qualified four reserve boat crew members and created a personalized training plan for each.

Jurison volunteered by donating blankets to orphanages in Bangladesh and, locally, in campaigns that raised awareness for AIDS, heart disease and strokes as well as safer driving practices.

The REPOY Program is designed to recognize exemplary men and women from the active and reserve enlisted work force who are top performers and reflect the Coast Guard’s core values of “Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty.”

Considered the “best and brightest” from the field, REPOY recipients are selected by a panel of senior enlisted members and evaluated against a set of established criteria that includes performance, work ethics, military bearing, standards of conduct and a strong community service commitment.

The regional winners are eligible for national honors along with their peers from other Coast Guard regions across the nation. The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Steven W. Cantrell, will recognize the national winners in an award ceremony later this spring.

For more information, contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at (808) 535-3230.

Lt. Ginny R. Nadolny, commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo, stands at the stern of the cutter Mayo before its commissioning on March 28, 2015 at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West. Fla. Isaac Mayo was a volunteer for the U.S. Life Saving Service who, in the spring of 1879, displayed extraordinary character during his heroic rescue of the crew of a schooner during a raging snowstorm that blanketed the shores of the Northeastern United States.  U.S. Coast Guard photo by Marilyn Fajardo.

Audie N. Dodson, sponsor of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo, receives a plaque with the cutter's coin from Lt. Ginny R. Nadolny, commanding officer of the Isaac Mayo, during the cutter's commissioning ceremony at Coast Guard Sector Key West, Fla., March 28, 2015.  Dodson is the great-great-great granddaughter of the cutter's namesake. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Pete Bermont.

Cynthia Martin, the great-great-great granddaughter of Isaac Mayo, hands the first officer of the deck, Petty officer 1st Class Joel Ortiz, the ship's long glass in the traditional ceremony of setting the first watch at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West, Fla., March 8, 2014. The officer of the deck is the commanding officer’s direct representative and, while on watch, is in charge of safety and smooth operation of the ship and crew. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Pete Bermont.

Crewmembers man the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo for the first time after its commissioning and salute symbolizing they have officially manned their stations, March 28,2015. The Coast Guard 7th District welcomed their 12th fast response cutter to the fleet in Key West, Fla. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Pete Bermont.

U.S. Representative Carlos Curbelo and Mrs. Cecilia Curbelo along with Rear Adm. Jake Korn, U.S. Coast Guard 7th District commander, and Lt. Ginny R. Nadolny, commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo, stand at the bow of the Isaac Mayo following the cutter's commissioning ceremony at Coast Guard Sector Key West, Fla., March 28, 2015.  Mayo is the sixth Sentinel Class Fast Response Cutter to be homeported in Key West.  Dodson is the great-great-great granddaughter of Isaac Mayo. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Pete Bermont.

Each FRC is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished him or herself in the line of duty. This vessel is named after Coast Guard hero, Isaac Mayo. In the spring of 1879 a raging snowstorm blanketed the shores of the Northeastern United States. The perilous seas and weather caused a three-masted schooner, the Sarah J. Fort to wreck on the shores of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Mayo displayed extraordinary character during the disarray as he and his crew faced the storm to rescue the schooner’s sailors. Because of Mayo’s exemplary surfman and leadership skills throughout the challenging rescue, Mayo was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal on November 10, 1879.

The Key West Navy League Commissioning Committee is supporting the commissioning through funding of activities traditionally associated with a commissioning, separate and apart from the U.S. Coast Guard.

Helicopter video of a man with heart attack symptoms being medevaced from an offshore supply vessel near Galveston. U.S. Coast Guard video.

HOUSTON — A Coast Guard Air Station Houston aircrew flew about 5 miles off Galveston to medevac a 49-year-old man suffering from heart attack symptoms Saturday morning.

The crew of the offshore supply vessel Normand Commander contacted the Coast Guard at 8:07 a.m. and reported the Filipino man's chest pain and numbness in his arm. Coordinating with a Coast Guard flight surgeon, it was determined that the man needed to be medevaced immediately.

Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders sent the MH-65 Dolphin aircrew to recover the man. They arrived at 8:57 a.m. and lowered the rescue swimmer to the deck of the ship. After landing and picking the man up, they transported him to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

He was delivered to UTMB at 9:26 a.m. and was reported to be in stable condition.

MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Coast Guard and Marquette Fire and Sheriff’s Departments assisted three people back to shore after their small fishing boat became stuck in an ice floe about 700 yards off the breakwall near the entrance to the Dead River, Saturday night.

There is no Coast Guard imagery and names of the individuals who were rescued are not being released.

A watchstander at Coast Guard Station Marquette received a call from one of the men on the 12-foot aluminum boat about 9:15 p.m. stating he and two other men became stranded in ice on their way back into shore.  The men had been fishing in open water, while the ice had drifted closer to shore and had prevented them from making it back to land.

An ice rescue team from Station Marquette was dispatched and, trailering their ice rescue equipment, arrived on scene at about 9:30 p.m. First responders from Marquette Fire and Sheriff’s Departments were also notified of the situation and responded.

The ice rescue team launched aboard their inflatable rescue craft and began transiting toward the men. Using signal flares to illuminate the area, a small spotlight, and verbal communications while transiting on and through the ice, it took nearly forty-five minutes for the crew to reach the three men.

After assessing the men, the ice rescue team began towing the small boat back to shore. Because of amount of ice, the Coast Guard crew requested assistance from the Marquette Sheriff’s crew, who launched their 14-foot zodiac boat and helped tow both vessels back to shore.

The three fishermen men, who were not wearing dry suits and had not entered the water at anytime, were examined by EMS on shore and released.

The Coast Guard reminds people to remain off of the water and off of the ice as ice continues to slowly melt and is unpredictable. Ice floes can easily drift with the current and be blown in different directions resulting in dangerous and life-threatening situations for those who choose to venture out, as well as the first responders.

BOSTON — The Coast Guard is searching for a person in the water approximately 35 miles southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Sunday.

At about 8:30 p.m., the crew of the 85-foot scalloping vessel Hear No Evil notified watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England via VHF channel 16 that a 54-year-old male was missing from the vessel and may have fallen overboard.

Crews from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead, and Coast Guard Station Brant Point are currently searching along with the Hear No Evil and other nearby vessels.

Anyone with information is requested to contact Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England at 508-457-3211 or on VHF channel 16. 

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HONOLULU – The Coast Guard is seeking the public's help in identifying the owner of an adrift kayak located approximately 12 miles southwest of La’au Point, Molokai, Sunday.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center received notification from a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew of an adrift, partially submerged 12-foot blue kayak.

There are no missing persons or distress reports in the area. 

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Station Maui and an Auxiliary aircraft searched approximately 170 square miles for three hours.

Anyone with information that may help identify the owner of the kayak is asked to contact the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center at (808) 842-2600.

The Coast Guard advises the public to register and label all watercraft and equipment with contact information in order to quickly account for owners and prevent any unnecessary searches.

Through the Operation Paddle Smart program, the Coast Guard offers a free "If Found" decal to be placed in a visible location on small, human-powered watercraft. The information on the sticker can allow response entities to quickly identify the vessel's owner and aid search and rescue planners in determining the best course of action. 

The stickers can be obtained for free at local harbormasters, through the Coast Guard Auxiliary, from Honolulu Sail and Power Squadron offices and at select marine retail and supply stores.

Story and photos by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jasmine Mieszala

"I’ll give you the clothes off my back.”

It is a saying of generosity and altruism, but for one woman, it has a different meaning.

Though she’s not literally giving someone the clothes she’s currently wearing, Lt. Cmdr. Kerry Karwan, the logistics department head at the incident management assistance team in Norfolk, Virginia, has donated some of her uniforms to the Old Coast Guard Station Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia, for an exhibit honoring women in the Coast Guard.

“My husband and I walk the dog every morning and night along the beach,” said Karwan. “One day we caught them before closing and stopped in because we’ve been wanting to check the museum out. After walking around, I’d asked them where they got most of their items on display, and I was told they were donated.”

Karwan contacted the director of the museum to begin discussing how she can donate some of her uniforms for the exhibit.

“I realized, with my participation in the exhibit there was a real opportunity to spread the word about women in uniform,” said Karwan.

Women performed the duties of Coast Guardsmen long before there was actually a Coast Guard. After the establishment of the Coast Guard, women began to pave the way for future generations of women to come.

In the 1830s, women were first officially assigned as keepers in the Lighthouse Service, though many women had been doing the same duties previously.  Fifty-one years later, Ida Lewis, keeper of Lime Rock Lighthouse, became the first woman to be awarded a Gold Lifesaving Medal. During her time as a keeper, Lewis is credited with saving 18 lives.

During WWII, the Women’s Reserve, officially nicknamed the SPARS was established. A total of 978 female officers and 11,868 female enlisted served in the SPARS during World War II. In 1973, congressional legislation ended the Women’s Reserve and women were first officially integrated into the active-duty Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve.

The exhibit at the Old Coast Guard Station highlights the history of women in the Coast Guard, starting with the keepers in the Lighthouse Service and ending with modern day achievements. The exhibit also features historical photos and documents, previous and current uniforms, personal items and an original SPAR recruiting poster.

“We already had older versions of the working and dress uniforms,” said Kathryn Fisher, executive director of the Old Coast Guard Station museum. “They had been donated to us in the past.”

Karwan donated her operational dress uniform as well as her service dress blue uniform to show a comparison between past and present uniforms.

“It’s good for women to see there have been women before them and they can succeed and do these jobs,” said Karwan.

Both uniforms, as well as some personal photos and items are on display in the exhibit until May 17.

“We have been a part of this organization and the service, and we’ve contributed toward all the missions in the Coast Guard, ” said Karwan. “Women need to be proud of that, especially the ones who paved the way for us. We’re still here, following in their footsteps.”

BOSTON - The Coast Guard located the body of a missing fisherman about 37 miles southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts at approximately 1 a.m., Monday.

The crew of the fishing vessel Hear No Evil, homeported in New Bedford, Massachusetts, recovered the body and positively identified the missing crewman.

Initially, at about 8:30 p.m., Sunday, the crew of the Hear No Evil notified watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England via VHF radio channel 16 that the 54-year-old man fell overboard.

It was reported he was not wearing a life jacket.

Crews from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead, and Coast Guard Station Brant Point searched by air and sea into the night along with crews from the Hear No Evil and other nearby vessels until the body was discovered by the Air Station Cape Cod helicopter crew.

Once recovered, the body was transferred to the Hammerhead and taken ashore to Sector Southeastern New England in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

"Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time," said Cmdr. Richard Schultz, deputy commander of Sector Southeastern New England. "The sea is an unforgiving work environment, and when we lose a fellow mariner, it ripples through the entire maritime community."

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Coast Guard Atlantic Area is scheduled to convene a general court-martial at Sector Key West in Key West, Florida Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2015 for a Coast Guardsman accused of sexual assault.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Edwin R. Angulo, 26, is accused of the following violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice:

•  Article 120 – 2 specifications of sexual assault

Vice Adm. William Lee, commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area, referred Angulo’s case to general court-martial on Nov. 14, 2014, following an Article 32 hearing completed on Oct. 16, 2014, which is similar to a grand jury hearing.

The charges follow a three-month long investigation by the Coast Guard Investigative Service, which revealed that Angulo allegedly committed a sexual act upon the reporting victim without consent at his apartment while in Key West, Florida during November and December 2013.

Angulo was assigned to the Cutter Thetis when the alleged misconduct occurred. The accused has been transferred to Sector Key West.

Charges are accusations against the individual and the accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The Coast Guard is committed to a fair proceeding in compliance with the UCMJ. It is Coast Guard policy to withhold the identity of reporting victims.

The general court- martial will be open to the public. Members of the media interested in attending should contact the Lt. Cmdr. Gabe Somma at 786.385.2642.

JUNEAU, Alaska — A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew medevaced a mariner experiencing abdominal complications from the fishing vessel U.S. Intrepid 30 miles south of Cold Bay Sunday.

The helicopter crew safely hoisted the 19-year-old man and transported him to Cold Bay, where an Air Station Kodiak HC-130 Hercules aircraft crew landed to transfer him to a higher level of care in Kodiak.

Coast Guard 17th District command center watchstanders received the medevac request from the fishing vessel’s health service agency, and the on-call duty flight surgeon concurred with the need for an immediate medevac.

The MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, currently attached to the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley, was in the area when the medevac request occurred. Command center watchstanders coordinated the launch of both aircrews.

“The helicopter crew just happened to be in the Cold Bay area as part of our constant Bering Sea Patrol mission,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Timothy Daugherty, a 17th District command center watchstander. “We maintain the watch on the Bering Sea and surrounding areas to mitigate the dangers of a harsh environment and sparse infrastructure.”

Weather on scene was reported as 35 mph winds with 5-foot swells.

Watchstanders at the Sector Boston Command Center received notification at 12:35 a.m. that the vessel's engines were disabled and its sails were wrapped around the mast.  

As the weather deteriorated, and seas reached nearly 10 feet, Sector Boston launched two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Station Gloucester to tow the vessel back to Gloucester. Once on scene, the boat crews connected the tow, but the rough sea conditions caused the tow line to break. 

The motor lifeboats crews directed the crew of Liana's Ransom to don immersion suits and to prepare to abandon ship about 30 miles east of Gloucester and a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod was diverted to assist. 

The nine passengers were transferred from Liana's Ransom to the Coast Guard motor lifeboats. One man suffered a head injury when leaping from Liana's Ransom and was airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital by the Jayhawk helicopter crew.

The Station Gloucester crews returned to the station with the eight remaining crewmembers. A locator beacon was left on Liana's Ransom for tracking and the Coast Guard Cutter Ocracoke is en-route to evaluate towing the vessel to port. 

"It was fortunate for the crew of the vessel that the owner reached out to us," said Jay Woodhead, the command duty officer at Sector Boston's Command Center. He said with winds gusting to 30 knots, it was unsafe for them to stay aboard.

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard, Guam Fire Department and Naval Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Two-Five rescued a distressed swimmer offshore from Pagat Caves, Guam, Sunday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Guam offered assistance after hearing communications between Guam Fire Rescue and dispatch regarding a distressed swimmer near Pagat Caves.

The Coast Guard Cutter Assateague, a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in Guam, a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Apra Harbor, a small boat crew and two jet-skis from Guam Fire Department, and an HSC-25 crew launched to assist in the search.

The HSC-25 crew arrived on scene, rescued the swimmer and transported him to Naval Hospital Guam where he is reportedly in stable condition.  

Imagery is not available for this case. If imagery does become available, it will be published in an updated release.

For more information, contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at (808) 535-3230.

WASHINGTON — Vice Adm. Peter V. Neffenger, vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, presents an award March 31, 2015, to combat correspondent Joseph Galloway at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., for his participation in the 2015 Coast Guard Salute to Vietnam Veterans. Galloway, who is well-known for his book "We Were Soldiers Once...and Young: Ia Drang-The Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam," spoke at the event that hosted 26 Vietnam War veterans and several hundred headquarters staff.

WASHINGTON — Vice Adm. Peter V. Neffenger, vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, presents Vietnam War Veteran pins to one of 26 Vietnam War veterans at a ceremony in Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., March 31, 2015. The event was held as part of the 2015 Coast Guard Salute to Vietnam Veterans.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard rescued two men Tuesday from the distressed sailboat Irene, approximately 90 miles east of Chincoteague.

Rescued were Joerg Fleimming, 51 and Stefan Heising, 56, both German nationals.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard 5th District Command Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, received an alert at approximately 4 p.m. Monday via fax from Maritime Rescue Coordination Center Bremen, Germany stating that the Irene was in need of assistance.

Command center personnel made contact with Fleimming, the boat's owner, via an iridium phone and learned that the Irene had lost its mast and was low on fuel.

Watchstanders diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Shearwater to the Irene's location.

The Shearwater arrived on scene at approximately 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, but were unable to pass a towline due to the sailing vessel's condition and environmental factors.

At sunrise, Fleimming and Heising boarded a life raft and were recovered by Shearwater's crew at approximately 7:30 a.m.

The Shearwater took the two men to Coast Guard Station Little Creek, where they were met by Customs and Border Patrol agents who assisted the two men in obtaining a flight back to Germany at Norfolk International Airport.

NEW VIDEO



Coast Guard search and rescue crews rescued nine crewmembers from the Canadian Tall Ship Liana's Ransom 58 miles east of Gloucester, Monday, March 30, 2015. Read full story HERE.

RACCOON KEY, S.C. — A Coast Guard helicopter crew hoisted two boaters Tuesday 11 miles southeast of Raccoon Key, from a capsized vessel.

The boaters, a man and a woman, were reported to be in good condition with no medical concerns.

Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Charleston command center were notified of the distress situation by VHF channel 16 at 4 p.m. The boaters stated their 17-foot pleasure craft became swamped with water after their anchor line became caught in their boat's propellers, pulling one end of the vessel underwater. The command center issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast to notify other boaters in the area of the situation.

A crew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston, S.C., was launched at 4:29 p.m. A U.S. Navy helicopter crew in the area responded to the UMIB and proceeded to the emergency to render assistance. The Dolphin crew arrived on scene at 4:36 p.m., located the boaters. The helicopter crew hoisted the boaters and were evaluated their conditions. They were taken to Mount Pleasant airport and reunited with family. 

Accidents at sea can happen at any time. Wearing life jackets, having a VHF radio, and remaining with an overturned vessel are key factors from this case that led to a successful rescue.

For more information contact the Coast Guard 7th District Public Affairs Detachment Jacksonville at 305-318-1864.

PORTLAND, Ore. — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bluebell is celebrating the ship’s 70^th anniversary at Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Portland, Friday.

Commissioned on April 4, 1945, Bluebell has continually served the Pacific Northwest for the past 70 years.

Bluebell is a 100-foot, inland buoy tender, homeported in Portland. It is the second oldest ship in the Coast Guard and the oldest ship west of the Mississippi. The 15-member crew is responsible for maintaining more than 420 aids to navigation covering 500 miles of the Columbia, Willamette and Snake Rivers. Altogether, the Bluebell’s crew is responsible for 23 percent of the ATON in the Pacific Northwest.

WHO: Past and present crewmembers of the Coast Guard Cutter Bluebell, and members of surrounding Coast Guard units.
WHAT: In honor of the 70th anniversary of the cutter, a ceremony will be held at Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Portland 
WHERE: Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Portland, 6767 N. Basin Ave. Portland, OR 97217.
WHEN: April 3, 2015, 10 a.m.

Media interested in attending the event must R.S.V.P. by 4 p.m. Thursday with Chief Petty Officer David Mosley at 206-819-9154.

For more information on the Coast Guard Cutter Bluebell, visit: http://goo.gl/vREG2D

Photos, video and crew information can also be found on our social media sites at: www.facebook.com/uscgpnw and www.twitter.com/uscgpacificnw or @USCGPacificNW.

The SN Federica, a 750-foot Italian flagged oil tanker, attempts to free itself after grounding in the Galveston Fairway, Mar. 31, 2015, 35 miles off Galveston. U.S. Coast Guard photos and video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Dustin Williams. Additional photos and the video are available on DVIDShub.net.

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard has been monitoring response efforts for an oil tanker that ran aground Tuesday, 35 miles east of Galveston. The tanker was freed from grounding as it refloated at 10:32 p.m.

At approximately 8:30 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a call from the captain of the SN Federica, a 750-foot Italian flagged oil tanker, reporting that while transiting into the Galveston Fairway they ran aground and incurred damage to the forepeak of the vessel, causing an ingress of water. The ingress of water was later determined to be ballast water and the ship was not leaking. 

Watchstanders launched crews from Marine Saftey Unit Texas City, Station Galveston and Air Station Houston to respond to the incident.

The SN Federica was carrying more than 400,000 barrels of crude oil, or nearly 17 million gallons.

Once on scene, a Coast Guard marine casualty inspector and an investigating officer confirmed that the oil tanker was not taking on water and that there was no pollution. Coast Guard crews also confirmed that the previously reported ingress of water was from the ships ballest tank.

The SN Federica initiated their vessel response plan and began the procress of dewatering their ballast tanks. The vessel completed ballast operations and was finally refloated at 10:32 p.m., with no pollution or injuries.

MSU Texas City is overseeing the seaworthiness assessment and investigating the cause of the incident.

The Coast Guard Captain of the Port issued an order to restrict the vessel from federal waters until a damage assessment, underwater hull survey, dive report and ship's classification survey report are complete to validate the seaworthiness of the ship.

PHILADELPHIA — Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay is investigating a ship aground in the Delaware River Wednesday near the Burlington Bristol Bridge.

The Liberian-flagged 600-foot bulk carrier, Agia Irini, was headed southbound when it reportedly lost propulsion and ran aground at approximately 2 p.m.

No injuries or pollution were reported following the incident.

The crew of the 65-foot Coast Guard Cutter Cleat responded to the scene to investigate.

The ship was refloated and is en route to safe anchorage for further Coast Guard investigation.