Coast Guard crews responded Tuesday morning 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.
Marine casualty investigators are on scene investigating the cause of the grounding. According to the Coast Guard, there was no sign of distress or oil leaking from the vessel as of noon Tuesday and the East Gregory Channel entrance remained open to maritime traffic.
The crew of the Ocean Spirit I completed the sounding of the vessel’s fuel and ballast tanks while Sea Tow-St. Thomas crews conducted an underwater damage assessment of the vessel’s hull, a Coast Guard news release reported.
Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment personnel were working with the master and owner of the Ocean Spirit I and the vessel’s salvage company to minimize any potential environmental impact or damage to the vessel’s hull during refloating and removal operations.
Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan where initially contacted by St. Thomas Harbor pilots at approximately 5 a.m. Tuesday, who reported the incident. No other details of the accident were reported.