Coast Guard Responds to Grounding off Port Everglade
Coast Guard inspectors on board the Clipper Lasco have confirmed the 645-ft. cargo vessel has run aground just west of the designated anchorage area off Fort Lauderdale Beach, Fla. The Clipper Lasco is carrying more than 30,000 tons of bauxite and 323 metric tons of fuel.Coast Guard inspection and investigation teams on board continue to gather information to determine the cause of the grounding. It has not been determined on what type of bottom (sand, coral, mud, rocks) the vessel grounded and the extent, if any, of environmental damage. The Coast Guard is in close communications with the vessel owners, state and local partners and technical experts, and is establishing a unified command to coordinate salvage efforts. Within the unified command will be representatives from the Coast Guard, the Clipper Lasco and experts in salvage operations and the marine environment.