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Sector Buffalo News

23 Aug 2020

Passenger Vessel Grounds in the Saint Lawrence River

(Photo: USCG Great Lakes)

All passengers have safely debarked a passenger vessel that ran aground and began taking on water in the Saint Lawrence River near Alexandria Bay, N.Y., Thursday afternoon.The U.S. Coast Guard said it received a report at 1:17 p.m. that the tour boat Island Duchess, operated by Uncle Sam Boat Tours, had run aground with 134 passengers on board for a day cruise. All passengers were transferred via responding assets from multiple assisting agencies to another USBT-operated vessel…

03 Mar 2020

Sub M Progress – an Update

Credit: Paul C. Lamarre III

Subchapter M, the United States regulatory code dealing with towing vessels and requirements for towing vessel safety, has officially been in place since July 20, 2016, when the U.S. Coast Guard finalized Sub M rulemaking.Since the rules were finalized there have been a couple of important hammer dates. In spring and summer 2018 the first certificates of inspection (COI) were issued. COIs are central within the Sub M program. A vessel needs a COI to legally operate. (All vessels were required to comply with Sub M by July 20, 2018.

27 Jun 2016

Coast Guard Investigates Sheen in Lake Ontario

A sheen is visible from the air in Lake Ontario near the Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Scriba, New York, approximately 10 miles northeast of Oswego, New York, June 26, 2016. A Coast Guard Auxiliary air crew noticed the sheen during a flight and reported it to Coast Guard Sector Buffalo. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to a report of a sheen in Lake Ontario near the Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Scriba, New York, approximately 10 miles northeast of Oswego, New York, Sunday. The cause of the sheen is unknown at this time. The Coast Guard has established a temporary safety zone extending two miles to the north and two miles to the east and west from the Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant. A Coast Guard Auxiliary air crew noticed the sheen during a flight and reported it to Coast Guard Sector Buffalo.

27 Jun 2016

USCG Investigates Unknown sheen in Lake Ontario

The Coast Guard is responding to a report of a sheen in Lake Ontario near the Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Scriba, New York, approximately 10 miles northeast of Oswego, New York, Sunday. The cause of the sheen is unknown at this time. The Coast Guard has established a temporary safety zone extending two miles to the north and two miles to the east and west from the Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant. A Coast Guard Auxiliary air crew noticed the sheen during a flight and reported it to Coast Guard Sector Buffalo. A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Oswego launched and took samples of the sheen and is currently enforcing the safety zone. Representatives from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation are on scene.

13 Dec 2015

3 Rescued on Eastern Lake Erie

The Coast Guard assisted three people Saturday afternoon after three flares were sighted from shore near Hamburg, New York. The names of those rescued are not being released and there are no photos or video available for this case. Shortly before 5 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo, New York, were notified that three red flares had been sighted offshore in Lake Erie in the vicinity of Hamburg Beach in Hamburg, New York. Sector Buffalo directed the launch of a boat crew from Coast Guard Station Buffalo, aboard a 25-foot response boat and issued an urgent marine information broadcast to advise mariners of the sighting and ask them to assist if able. The crew arrived on scene and discovered a disabled 20-foot vessel with three people on board.

27 Oct 2015

Mariner Medevaced from Tug near Cleveland

A 51-year-old man has been medevaced from a tug in Cleveland's Inner Harbor near Whiskey Island, late Monday afternoon, the U.S. Coast Guard reported. At around 4:30 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo, N.Y., received a report from the tug that the crew member was not breathing and had no pulse. Sector Buffalo directed immediate launch of the ready crew from Coast Guard Station Cleveland Harbor to respond to the critical situation. The crew quickly arrived on scene, transferred the man to a 45-foot response boat where they began defibrillation, and administered CPR while transiting to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at Edgewater Marina.

19 Jun 2015

Cruise Ship Hits St. Lawrence Seaway Lock Wall

A cruise ship struck a lock wall in the Saint Lawrence Seaway upstate New York Thursday night, injuring several passengers, the U.S. Coast Guard reported. There were 274 people, including passengers and crew, aboard the 286-foot vessel Saint Laurent when the ship allided with a wall in the Eisenhower Lock in Massena, New York. Saint Laurent, owned by International Shipping Partners, remains in the drained lock while response crews remove injured passengers, the Coast Guard said. Local media reports indicate that at least 17 people suffered minor injuries. The ship will remain in the lock with both doors closed until it can be moved to different location. A search-and-rescue controller at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo received notification of the allision at 9:45 p.m. Thursday.

23 Apr 2015

Bulk Carrier in St. Lawrence Seaway Refloated

Vessel previously grounded in St. Lawrence Seaway refloated, navigational channel open. The vessel ran hard aground after suffering a steering casualty, and at this time there is no pollution reported. The motor vessel Juno, a 621-foot bulk carrier which ran agound in the vicinity of Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence River, New York, was refloated about 7 a.m. Wednesday and is now safely anchored at Mason Point. At 8 a.m. the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation re-opened the American Narrows to full navigation. The Bahamian-flagged motor vessel Juno, carrying a load of sugar, ran aground Monday reportedly due to a loss of steering and took on water in one of the forward ballast tanks…

21 Apr 2015

Response to Grounded Bulker Ongoing

The motor vessel Juno, a 621-foot bulk carrier, sits aground under Thousand Islands Bridge near Alexandria Bay, N.Y., April 20, 2015. The vessel ran hard aground after suffering a steering casualty, and at this time there is no pollution reported. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

UPDATE: U.S. Coast Guard responding to vessel aground in St. The U.S. Coast Guard reports it is continuing its response Tuesday to a 621-foot bulk carrier which ran aground in the vicinity of Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence River, New York, Monday while transiting inbound from the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Port of Toronto. The Bahamian-flagged motor vessel Juno, carrying a load of sugar, is aground and taking on water in one of the forward ballast tanks, however, these tanks were empty prior to the grounding, and there has been no report of pollution.

20 Apr 2015

Bulk Carrier Grounds in St. Lawrence Seaway

Motor vessel Juno, a 621-foot bulk carrier, sits aground under the Thousand Islands Bridge near Alexandria Bay, New York, April 20, 2015. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

A 621-foot bulk carrier ran aground near Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence River, Monday. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is responding. The Bahamian-flagged motor vessel Juno is aground in the vicinity of Wellesley Island, in the St. Lawrence River, New York, and is taking on water in one of the forward ballast tanks. The vessel is slightly listing to port with 18-feet of water in the forward peak of the vessel. There are no reported injuries to the crew, and no reported pollution. The ship was transiting a sugar cargo inbound from the St.

26 Aug 2014

Two Rescued from Disabled Boat near Niagara Falls

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG ) rescued two people from a disabled boat near Niagara Falls late Monday night. At about 9:15 p.m., a search-and-rescue (SAR) coordinator from USCG Sector Buffalo, New York, responded to a call for help from the boaters via cell phone. The distressed boater reported two people were aboard a disabled 19-foot boat, 700 yards inside the Niagara Falls Exclusion Zone. The boater also reported that the boat was anchored. The Sector Buffalo SAR coordinator issued an urgent marine information broadcast, which broadcasts the location and nature of distress to mariners and asks who can offer help if they are able. The SAR coordinator also launched a rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Buffalo aboard a 25-foot response boat…

17 Aug 2014

USCG Strengthen Inter-Agency Security Partnerships

The Coast Guard participated in a multi-agency Northern Border Initiative exercise to strengthen inter-agency security partnerships in five New York locations, Thursday and Friday. Approximately 500 people from 20 Federal, State and local agencies, as well as cross-border partners in Canada participated in the exercise. Capt. Brian Roche, commander of Coast Guard Sector Buffalo, served as lead federal official in the exercise, which was organized by the Monroe County Emergency Management Office. The exercise offered an opportunity to test and develop multi-agency response capabilities, including coordination of surveillance resources and the tactical deployment of forces to counter a security threat.

22 Jun 2014

Great Lakes Coast Guard Rescue 9

Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary  crews across the Great Lakes rescued 9 people during multiple cases from different locations across the Coast Guard 9th District Saturday. The names of those rescued are not being released and there is no imagery or video for any of the cases. Among other cases, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo, New York, received a report just after 10:30 a.m. of two people in the water near Lock 5 in the Oswego River in Oswego, New York, during a kayaking event. A Coast Guard Auxiliary crew was in the area doing a safety patrol for the event. The crew and a local fire department boat retrieved both of the people from the water and took them to shore. It is unknown if they were wearing life jackets and there were no injuries or medical concerns reported.

29 May 2014

Response to Disabled Freighter Ongoing

U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Robert Fratangelo

Incident responders from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and representatives from the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation continue to oversee the salvage and investigation of the disabled freighter that ran aground after losing steering Tuesday while transiting the St. Lawrence Seaway in the vicinity of Wellesley Island, New York. The motor vessel Federal Kivalina is currently anchored upriver, about one-third of a mile from the Thousand Island Bridge. There are no reported injuries to the crew and no reported pollution at this time.

28 May 2014

Disabled Freighter Anchored in St. Lawrence Seaway

The US Coast Guard Ninth District has responded to the Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship 'Federal Kivalina' which lost its steering while transiting the Seaway in the vicinity of Wellesley Island, New York. The Federal Kivalina, a 656-foot, Hong Kong-flagged freighter carrying 23,000 metric tons of canola seeds, reportedly dropped three anchors to bring the vessel to rest. The Coast Guard notified the New York State Bridge Authority of the situation, which shut down the Thousand Island Bridge for about 10 minutes as a precaution. Response crews from Station Alexandria Bay, New York State Parks Police, New York State Police, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, and inspectors from MSD Massena and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation are either on scene or en route.

30 Dec 2013

USCG: M/V Orsula successfully refloated, no pollution or injuries

The Coast Guard oversaw the successful refloating of the motor vessel Orsula, which was completed Sunday. The Orsula, a 656-foot Marshall Islands flagged ship, ran aground in the vicinity of Tibbets Point in the St. Lawrence Seaway, Christmas Day. At about 5:50 p.m., response personnel from Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Massena, N.Y., reported the successful refloating of the vessel to prevention branch personnel at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo, N.Y. The vessel is currently making way toward Montreal and is being escorted by the tug Salvor.

04 Nov 2013

Coast Guard, Park Police, Sign Niagara Operational Agreement

Capt. Brian Roche & Maj. David Page

The Coast Guard and the New York State Park Police have formally signed a cooperative agreement to clarify agency roles for operations in the Niagara Falls River. This historic cooperative agreement spells out the roles each agency will play during future operations between Niagara Falls and the whirlpool in the Niagara River gorge. Capt. Brian Roche, commander of Coast Guard Sector Buffalo, and Maj. David A. Page, commanding officer of the NYSPP Western Region, entered into the cooperative agreement to further enhance coordination of maritime incidents along the Niagara River.

23 Aug 2012

Rescue 21 System Accepted by U.S. Coast Guard

General Dynamics-built Rescue 21 Search and Rescue System - Sector Buffalo - Formally Accepted by the U.S. Coast Guard. The U.S. Coast Guard today formally accepted the General Dynamics C4 Systems-built Rescue 21 search and rescue communications system now serving Sector Buffalo, New York. The live-saving Rescue 21 system uses advanced direction-finding technologies and digital communications, enabling Coast Guard personnel to respond rapidly and efficiently to calls from distressed mariners out to at least 20 nautical miles from shore. It also enables greater effectiveness in responding to security and maritime environmental threats.

23 Aug 2012

SAR System Accepted by U.S. Coast Guard Buffalo

Acceptance Speach by Rear-Admiral Michael N. Parkes: Photo credit USCG

General Dynamics C4 Systems-built Rescue 21 search and rescue communications system formally accepted by USCG Sector Buffalo. The live-saving Rescue 21 system uses advanced direction-finding technologies and digital communications, enabling Coast Guard personnel to respond rapidly and efficiently to calls from distressed mariners out to at least 20 nautical miles from shore. It also enables greater effectiveness in responding to security and maritime environmental threats. Rescue…

28 Mar 2012

Tugboat Fire on Lake Ontario – Helicopter Medivacs Crewmember

U.S. Coast Guard marine inspectors are monitoring the U.S.-flagged, 105-foot tugboat Patrice McAllister, which caught fire with six people aboard in the Canadian waters of Lake Ontario. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo received an alert from an emergency position indicating radio beacon registered to the vessel, which provided them with an exact location about seven miles south of Prince Edward Point, Ontario. A U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue crew responded aboard an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter from Air Station Detroit, and Canadian rescue crews launched aboard a C-130 aircraft, Griffin helicopter and the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Cape Hearne, a 47-foot Cape Class motor lifeboat from Kingston, Ontario.

25 Oct 2010

USCG: Vessel Aground in St. Lawrence Seaway

Photo courtesy USCG

U.S. Coast Guard personnel are on scene and monitoring the grounding of the 100-foot tug Commodore Straits, which ran aground while pushing two barges in the St. Lawrence Seaway near Keewaydin State Park in Alexandria Bay, N.Y., at about 5:30 a.m. Oct. 24. Although both barges are taking on water, no pollution or injuries have been reported, and the area has been determined safe for maritime traffic to pass at reduced speeds. After the Coast Guard was notified, a 25-ft Response Boat-Small and crew from Station Alexandria Bay, N.Y., immediately dispatched to monitor the situation.