Alabama Marine Police News

Randive, a commercial diving company based in New Jersey, is employing underwater metal detectors in their search and salvage operations. The company was founded in 1959 by Randor Erlandson, and in the early days focused primarily on the needs of the maritime industry around the ports of New York and New Jersey. In the decades since, the company has greatly expanded its operations increasing its staff to 16, and adding as its clients some of the largest shipping companies in the world.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Gaines Huneycutt and his Coast Guard Station Destin, Fla., rescue boatcrew enforce a one-mile safety zone around the vessel seen on the horizon Wednesday, May 17, 2006. The vessel, formerly the USS Oriskany, an 888-foot Navy aircraft carrier, was rigged with explosives and sunk as an artificial reef about 23 miles southeast of Pensacola. Also involved in the safety zone enforcement, designed to ensure the safety of crews and spectators on scene, were boatcrews aboard the Coast Guard Cutters Cobia and Bonito, and patrol boats from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Alabama Marine Police, and local and county law enforcement agencies.

The Eufala Police Department, in Alabama, recently unveiled a well-equipped boat for the purpose of search and rescue. The boat was presented to the department by the Alabama Marine Police. After some restoration and a new coat of marine paint, the boat only lacked a few essential items - primarily electronic equipment. Police Lieutenant Todd Register then contacted Techsonic Industries, and asked for a donation of a depth finder for the new rig. The company not only considered the request, but took it a step further. According to Techsonic President Charlie Stott, the company saw an opportunity to create perhaps the finest equipped search and rescue boat in the country. Techsonic first installed an NS-25, a sonar/GPS combination unit, which employs state-of-the-art C-Map cartography.

The Coast Guard is investigating a tug fire that occurred yesterday south of Demopolis, Ala. on the Tombigbee Waterway. The Alabama Marine Police notified the coast guard Monday morning when the tug, Nonnie, pushing six empty hopper barges had caught on fire and was drifting south on the Tombigbee Waterway. The Coast Guard Cutter, Wedge, from Demopolis, an HU-25 Falcon jet from Aviation Training Center Mobile, and pollution response and investigation teams from Marine Safety Office Mobile were immediately dispatched to the scene. The vessel, owned and operated by Equipment Chartering Company inc. in bay St. Louis, Miss., was en route with the barges to a quarry on the Tennessee River from Back Bay Biloxi, Miss.