VIDEO: Coast Guard Monitors Adrift Barge In Bering Straight

The crews of the 82-foot Crowley tugs Siku and Sinuk successfully reestablished the tow of an adrift 173-foot barge carrying approximately 140,000 gallons of fuel in the Bering Strait near Wales Wednesday at 4:35 p.m.

The Coast Guard will continue to monitor the situation as the tugs take the barge to Port Clarence, its original destination.

"The Coast Guard and Crowley continue to maintain open lines of communication with each other to continuously keep all parties updated on the situation," said Cmdr. Adam Tyndale, chief of response for sector Anchorage.

The case began at 6:23 p.m. Tuesday when the crew of the 82-foot Crowley tug Sinuk notified watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Anchorage that the towline to the barge they were towing had parted in heavy seas.

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak HC-130 Hercules airplane crew was directed to launch Wednesday morning to conduct an overflight of the tug and barge. The aircrew arrived on scene at about 9:40 a.m.

The crew of the Crowley tug Siku was launched from Nome to assist the Sinuk crew reestablish the tow of the barge.

Source: Coast Guard