Corpus Christi, Texas — The Coast Guard has established a safety zone due to multiple vessel groundings that occurred in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near Corpus Christi, Texas, Friday afternoon.
Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a report that a tug began taking on water in one of the two barges it was towing. An Air Station Corpus Christi MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew and a Coast Guard Station Port Aransas 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew were launched to assess the situation.
After the barge became submerged a second tug towing six barges struck the submerged vessel and became grounded.
The Captain of the Port of Corpus Christi has established a safety zone in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from mile marker 510 through mile marker 512. No vessel may transit through this area at this time.
Additional information will be distributed via a Marine Safety Information Broadcast.
