The Coast Guard is monitoring a jack-up rig that was run aground this morning to prevent it from sinking approximately one mile offshore and six miles south of the Port Aransas jetties. The crew of the tug Vinton Crosby radioed watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi around 3 a.m. this morning reporting the jack-up rig Dolphin III, which they were towing, was listing to one side and in danger of sinking or tipping over. The crew also told the Coast Guard that they were heading towards shore to run the rig aground to stabilize it. The tug crew was able to get the rig into shallow water. A Coast Guard rescue boat crew was dispatched from Station Port Aransas to investigate but were forced to return due to high wind and waves.
