The Associated Press is reporting that an oil tanker has run aground off Sandy Hook, but so far no sign of leakage has been seen.
The Star-Ledger has an item on this.
The vessel is said to be carrying more than 450,000 barrels, and stuck between Sandy Hook and Coney Island.
No injuries have been reported.
From the AP story:
Something went wrong with the steering system on the ship at about 6:30 a.m., causing the White Sea to turn off course and run into the sandy bottom of Ambrose Channel, said Coast Guard spokesman Chief Bob Laura.
The tanker deployed a boom meant to contain any spill, but none occurred, Laura said. Three tug boats were trying to help the vessel, which was in the waters between Brooklyn’s Coney Island and Sandy Hook National Park in New Jersey.
The Coast Guard set up a security zone around the vessel, but traffic departing from the Port of New York and New Jersey was unimpeded, Laura said. All vessels leaving the port to head to open sea must take the route.
Here’s a mid-afternoon update from Bloomberg.com:
“It’s like on a highway, and the accident is off on the shoulder,” Laura said in a phone interview. Shipping in and out of New York’s main port isn’t affected, he said. Oil containment booms surround the 800-foot tanker, and three tugboats are on the scene, he said.
The Coast Guard hopes to move the vessel at the next high tide this evening. If that doesn’t work, the oil can be transferred off the tanker, allowing the boat to ride higher in the water, he said. The ship left Bayonne, New Jersey, this morning and ran aground at about 6:30 a.m. after its steering malfunctioned, Laura said.
