Dredge tender capsizes, sinks in Charleston Harbor

Miss Anne E1490635833262

The following is text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:

(CHARLESTON, S.C.) — The Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company survey boat Pearl River, in coordination with U.S. Army Corps of Engineering and Southern Dredging, located a capsized workboat Sunday morning on the Cooper River in Charleston Harbor.

The Coast Guard and port partners are monitoring the salvage efforts for Miss Anne, a steel 25-foot commercial workboat, which capsized and sank on the Cooper River near Shipyard Creek at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. At the time of the incident, Miss Anne was operating as a workboat repositioning equipment for the dredge Brunswick and had three crewmembers on board. All crewmembers were recovered safely with no reports of injuries or pollution.

Following the incident, the specific location of the sunken vessel was unknown and the Coast Guard captain of the port (COTP) Charleston established a safety zone for the adjacent waterway. Upon locating Miss Anne, the COTP is revising the safety zone to include the immediate vicinity of the sunken vessel. All mariners are urged to use extreme caution while transiting Charleston Harbor. Vessels are currently transiting the harbor according to Coast Guard safety procedures allowing for public and private terminals to remain open.

Coast Guard helicopters and boats, along with Southern Dredging, Great Lakes Dredge and the Charleston County Sheriff's boats were actively involved in the search for the sunken vessel.

Charleston harbor port partners were actively involved in the coordination and monitoring of the situation including the South Carolina Port Authority, Charleston Harbor Pilots, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The cause of the vessel capsizing is under investigation.

By Professional Mariner Staff