Kimberly Selvick News

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) personnel and salvage and cleanup crews completed the salvage of the towing vessel Kimberly Selvick from near Burnham Park on the shores of Lake Michigan, Saturday, and it has been towed to Calumet River Slip, the USCG said in a press announcement. The Kimberly Selvick became partially submerged Monday afternoon after it took on water trying to retrieve two barges that broke free during a tow. The salvage company removed petroleum products from the vessel in a process known as lightering, Friday afternoon.

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to oversee salvage efforts of the towing vessel Kimberly Selvick in Lake Michigan off of Burnham Park, Friday afternoon. The Kimberly Selvick began taking on water and became partially submerged while trying to retrieve two barges that broke free during a tow, Monday afternoon. The Kimberly Selvick remains partially submerged. A dive survey of the hull has been completed. While the hull appeared intact, divers were unable to see underneath the vessel due to the position in which it is aground.

The U.S. Coast Guard informs it continues its response to the grounded towing vessel Kimberly Selvick in Lake Michigan off of Burnahm Park. It has been determined that ten times more diesel fuel, 14,000 gallons, is on board the tugboat than originally reported. Efforts to salvage the vessel are ongoing and weather conditions are delaying a pre-salvage damage assessment of the vessel and the staging of salvage assets. Until the weather improves, the Coast Guard will continue to work with the responsible party to ensure a salvage plan is prepared and ready for execution. “Recovering the vessel safely and mitigating potential impacts to the environment are the primary concerns for the planned salvage operation,” said Capt. Jason Neubauer, commanding officer of Marine Safety Unit Chicago.

The Coast Guard says it is continuing its response to the grounded towing vessel 'Kimberly Selvick' in Lake Michigan off of Burnahm Park.The vessel remains partially submerged, while the two barges that broke free from the tug Monday afternoon have been removed and towed to Calumet Harbor Fleeting. The vessel began taking on water and became partially submerged while trying to retrieve the two barges. Four people aboard the tug were evacuated by a rescue crew from the Chicago Fire Department Marine Unit. No injuries were reported. An overflight of the area revealed  a 10-foot by 100-foot sheen near the vessel. Initial inspections indicated that the sheen was caused by small quantities of residual oil waste from the tug’s bilge and not from fuel onboard.

The U.S. Coast Guard and members of the Chicago Fire Department responded Monday afternoon to the grounding of the vessel Kimberly Selvick and two attached barges about one quarter mile east of Burnham Park in Chicago. A rescue crew from the Chicago Fire Department Marine Unit successfully evacuated four crew members from the vessel. No injuries or pollution have been reported. At 4:42 p.m. a Sector Lake Michigan communications watchstander received a call over VHF-FM channel 16 from a crew member of the Kimberly Selvick reporting it had run aground while trying to retrieve two barges that broke free, and that the vessel was taking on water. The vessel is 55-foot tug and was pushing one rock barge and one crane barge at the time of the incident.