Crewmembers from Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Galveston are investigating the early morning collision of an outbound freighter and an offshore platform located approximately 17 miles off the coast of Galveston. At 3:15 a.m., Coast Guard watchstanders at Group Galveston received reports of a platform fire in the Gulf of Mexico. At 3:30 a.m., the freighter SCM Athina notified the Coast Guard that it had struck the platform High Island 207. Substantial damage was sustained by the platform, resulting in a fire that could be seen from shore. Two offshore supply boats were in the area and immediately responded, fighting the fire and extinguishing the flames on the lower decks. The upper decks are still smoldering.
