GALVESTON, Texas (AP) _ The U.S. Coast Guard, other federal and state agencies and a salvage company plan tomorrow to remove cargo in a renewed attempt to free a grounded oil tanker off the Texas coast in the Gulf of Mexico.
Rescuers have been trying to free the 800-foot Yasa Golden Dardanelles since it ran aground Friday on the north side of the Galveston Safety Fairway.
The tanker ran aground 22 miles off the coast in sand while waiting for a pilot to guide it into the Houston Ship Channel.
Coast Guard spokeswoman Renee Aiello told The Associated Press today that some cargo will be moved to another vessel in hopes that the tank ship will become light enough and float again.
She says there’s no indication that its load of 621,000 barrels of low sulfur fuel oil has leaked or spilled. She says the tanker is not blocking other ship traffic and there are no reports of distress or injuries from its crew.