INDIAN ISLAND — A munitions barge that ran aground early Monday morning arrived safely Tuesday at Naval Magazine Indian Island after the Coast Guard determined there was no damage to the vessel or the explosives onboard.
Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound was notified at 5:45 a.m. Monday that the 322-foot barge St. Elias, containing about 9,000 pounds of naval munitions, was being towed south through Rosario Strait by the 101-foot tug Henry Brusco when it ran aground at about 5:20 a.m.
Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles crews conducted a morning over-flight, and Station Bellingham conducted an on-site review.
Both reported no signs of pollution.
As an environmental precaution, a containment dome was deployed around the vessel, the Coast Guard said.
A 2,000-yard safety zone also was cleared around the barge before Navy explosives experts determined that the explosives were secure and safe, said Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Robert K. Lanier.
Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians from Anacortes, along with a Sector Puget Sound inspector, conducted a safety assessment onboard the St. Elias.
Once the vessel was refloated, the safety zone was lifted, and Rosario Strait opened to all traffic.
Divers who inspected the barge found a 10-foot square hole on the forward starboard side of the vessel.
The barge was not taking on water, no pollutants had leaked, and the hole did not threaten the vessel’s stability, Lanier said.
The cause of the incident is under investigation, Lanier said.
The St. Elias is owned and operated by Samson Tug and Barge of Sitka, Alaska.
Other cargo on the barge included produce, fish and automobiles, Lanier said.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.