Station Cortez News

Emergency responders extinguished a fire aboard a commercial crane barge near Egmont Key, Fla. Sunday.The U.S. Coast Guard, West Manatee County Fire Department, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and commercial salvage crew responded after Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders were made aware of the blaze by a good Samaritan via VHF-FM Channel 16.The Coast Guard directed the launch of Coast Guard Station Cortez and Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg 45-foot Response Boat—Medium boat crews to create a safety zone around the burning vessel…

The Coast Guard assisted four people whose boat was taking on water Sunday approximately 12 miles west of Bean Point.The Coast Guard arrived on scene, removed three people and dewatered the vessel.Coast Guard watchstanders received a report from a man aboard the 21-foot center console at 2:36 p.m., stating they were taking on water and were in need of immediate assistance.Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders dispatched a Coast Guard Station Cortez 29-foot Response Boat— Medium crew to respond.The crew arrived on scene…

U.S. Coast Guard crews are responding to a second grounded barge near Long Boat Key, Fla., from a tugboat that was beset by heavy weather Tuesday. Due to deteriorating weather, the barge spuds were unable to keep the 140-foot barge from drifting to the beach. Coast Guard incident management personnel from Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., are on scene overseeing the operation. No pollution has been reported. "We were monitoring the barge throughout the night, said Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Garza, member of sector's incident management department. "It was anchored about one half mile from shore.

A 180-foot barge ran aground on Anna Maria Island after breaking free from a tug boat early Tuesday morning. Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector St. Petersburg received notification at 2 a.m., Tuesday, that the operator of tug Abe H was having difficulty steering due to weather and was unable to control the two barges he was pushing approximately one mile west off of Longboat Key. Watchstanders launched Coast Guard Cutter Hawk, an 87-foot Coastal Patrol Boat homeported in St. Petersburg, Fla., and a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew from Station Cortez to assist.