Coast Guard Monitoring Rig

The Coast Guard is monitoring a jack-up rig that was run aground this morning to prevent it from sinking approximately one mile offshore and six miles south of the Port Aransas jetties. The crew of the tug Vinton Crosby radioed watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi around 3 a.m. this morning reporting the jack-up rig Dolphin III, which they were towing, was listing to one side and in danger of sinking or tipping over. The crew also told the Coast Guard that they were heading towards shore to run the rig aground to stabilize it. The tug crew was able to get the rig into shallow water.

A Coast Guard rescue boat crew was dispatched from Station Port Aransas to investigate but were forced to return due to high wind and waves. A Coast Guard helicopter crew was sent after sunrise and they were able to monitor the rig to ensure all personnel were safe. The rig crew reported that a generator powering the de-watering pumps had run out of fuel and the pumps had stopped running. Rig officials plan to send more personnel with additional fuel to the rig in an effort to re-float it. Coast Guard officials will continue to monitor the situation. No injuries have been reported.