Crew Boat Runs Aground Near Houston, Injuries and Spill Reported

A crew boat carrying a four man crew ran ground on the Sabine jetties near ~~Houston~~ Port Arthur, TX early Friday causing various injuries to the crew and an oil spill, according to Coast Guard officials.

Watchstanders from Sector Houston-Galveston said they received a call at 6:17 a.m. Friday reporting that the M/V Miss Pearl ran aground on the west side of the Sabine jetties and that the four-person crew had suffered various injuries.

USCG dispatched a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium and crew from Station Sabine and a MH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter to the scene to assist. The crew of the helicopter hoisted the four crewmembers to safety and transported them to awaiting EMS at the Beaumont Airport.

The Coast Guard says that approximately 4,000 gallons of diesel fuel was spilled and pollution response and salvage efforts are ongoing as of Friday afternoon.

The 135-foot crew boat is owned and operated by Seacor Marine and has a cruising speed of 23 knots.

“The Coast Guard is working with the vessel owner and will supervise and direct cleanup efforts,” said Capt. Joe Paitl, commanding officer of MSU Port Arthur. “Our number one priority is the safety of everyone involved in the recovery and cleanup operations. Our goal is to salvage the vessel while mitigating environmental and economic impacts.”

The cause of the grounding is under investigation. The extent of the crews injuries are unclear at this time.