Coast Guard crews responded to an uninspected towing vessel taking on water prior to running aground in the Calcasieu Ship Channel early Monday morning near Lake Charles, La.
At 3:45 a.m., the three-man crew of the 60' Mr. Landon ran the towboat aground near Monkey Island to avoid sinking when they realized they were taking on water in the stern. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles members coordinated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and oil spill removal resources to clean up an approximate 10 gal. spill that resulted from the incident.
MSU Lake Charles members also oversaw salvage operations to free the Mr. Landon; ensuring there was no further damage to the vessel and minimizing impact to the waterway. The vessel was safely refloated with the aid of a crane barge, de-watering pumps and assist towing vessels.
There were no injuries reported, and the Mr. Landon headed to Amelia, La., for repairs. No information about which shipyard the boat was headed to or details concerning the others vessels involved in the rescue were available.
The Mr. Landon was run intentionally aground in Louisiana's Calcasieu Ship Channel. USCG photo by Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles.
