Acting Coast Guard News

The U.S. Coast Guard launched several assets in response to a report of a fire on board a natural gas drill platform in Cook Inlet Thursday. The Coast Guard diverted a Coast Guard Hercules HC-130 crew and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew to conduct an overflight of the Baker Platform in Cook Inlet, near Nikiski. The Coast Guard also launched the Coast Guard Cutter Mustang and the diverted the Coast Guard Cutter SPAR to the location. A five-mile, no-fly safety zone at 5,000 feet and a two-mile safety zone have been established around the platform. All four people aboard the platform were safety evacuated. "Our goal is to mitigate any potential risk to the environment," said Cmdr. Shane Montoya, the Coast Guard Federal On-Scene Coordinator and acting Coast Guard Sector Anchorage commander.

The Acting Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Palm Beach, Fla., Capt. Cynthia Stowe, revoked the Palm Beach Princess’ Coast Guard-issued Certificate of Compliance Dec. 8 after the vessel failed to make required repairs to one of its main propulsion engines. The vessel is now prohibited from carrying passengers in any U.S. port until its Certificate of Compliance is reinstated. On Sept. 7, the Coast Guard received a report from the Palm Beach Princess regarding an engine casualty during the vessel’s transit from the Bahamas to the Port of Palm Beach. Once the vessel arrived at the Port of Palm Beach, it was met by ship surveyors from Det Norske Veritas, the organization that carries out vessel surveys and ensures the vessel's compliance with U.S. and international laws.