Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Jan. 18, 2010

Contact: 
U.S. Coast Guard External Affairs
(504) 671-2020

UPDATE: Coast Guard reopens Mississippi River, responds to bridge allision

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Coast Guard has reopened the portion of the Lower Mississippi River that was closed after a towing vessel allided with the I-155 bridge in Carruthersville, Mo., Monday.

The river was reopened at aproximately 9 p.m. after the 20 grain barges that broke free were safely rounded up. The barge that was taking on water has been dewatered and pumps are keeping up with the flooding.

At approximately 5 p.m., the Coast Guard received a call from a crewmember aboard the towing vessel Joyce Hale, that while pushing 20 loaded grain barges, it allided with the I-155 bridge near Carruthersville. The crewmember also reported the allision caused all 20 barges to break away and that one barge is taking on water. 

Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River closed the Mississippi River from mile marker 840 to 833 to facilitate recovery of the barges.

Local authorities have closed the bridge to vehicular traffic until the bridge can be inspected by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Coast Guard Sector Mississippi River is investigating the cause of the incident and no polution or injuries were reported.

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Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Jan. 18, 2010
Contact: 
U.S. Coast Guard External Affairs
(504) 671-2020

Coast Guard responds to bridge allision, closes a portion of the Mississippi River

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Coast Guard is responding to a bridge allision in Carruthersville, Mo., which resulted in the closure of  the Mississippi River and the I-155 bridge, Monday.

At approximately 5 p.m., the Coast Guard received a call from a crewmember aboard the towing vessel Joyce Hale, that while pushing 20 loaded grain barges, it allided with the I-155 bridge near Carruthersville. The crewmember also reported the allision caused all 20 barges to break away and that one barge is taking on water. 

Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River closed the Mississippi River from mile marker 840 to 833 to facilitate recovery of the barges.

Local authorities have closed the bridge to vehicular traffic until the bridge can be inspected by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Coast Guard Sector Mississippi River is investigating the cause of the incident and no polution or injuries were reported.

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Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Jan. 17, 2010

Contact:  Petty Officer 3rd Class Tom Atkeson
U.S. Coast Guard External Affairs
(504) 671-2020

 Mobile area Coast Guard cutter to fill in for Key West based cutters sent to Haiti

WHO: Coast Guard Cutter Stingray and crew

WHAT: The Coast Guard Cutter Stingray is schedueled to deploy to Key West, Fla., to fill in for Coast Guard cutters that have been deployed to Haiti for the ongoing multi-national relief effort.

WHEN: Media are requested to arrive at Coast Guard Sector Mobile no later than Monday, Jan. 18, 2010 at 6:15 a.m.

WHERE: Coast Guard Sector Mobile, South Broad Street, Mobile, Ala., 36615

***MEDIA NOTE*** Contact Lt. Matthew Mitchell at (251) 441-6211, Sector Mobile command center supervisor, to gain access to the base or check on the status of the Stingray's departure.

Coast Guard Cutter Stingray

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Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Jan. 13, 2009

Contact: 
PA3 Jaclyn Young
(618) 219-6774

Coast Guard assists with sea turtle rescue

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — The Coast Guard is assisting in the rescue and release of approximately 1,500 endangered sea turtles near Panama City Beach in an effort to return the turtles to warmer waters offshore after they became beached by the extreme cold weather recently.

Coast Guard Sector Mobile was contacted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Monday requesting assistance in the rescue effort.  The affected sea turtles were rescued and moved to Gulf Wold Marine Park by several federal, state and local agencies and volunteers for warming treatment.

Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Coho, an 87-foot patrol boat homeported in Panama City and crewmembers from the Coast Guard Station in Panama City, began transporting the sea turtles from Gulf World to warmer waters approximately 12 miles offshore where the water temperature is above 55 degrees.

Also assisting in the rescue effort are NOAA, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the U.S. Navy, and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

To view photos of the rescue effort click the links below:

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

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Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Jan. 7, 2010
Contact: 
U.S. Coast Guard External Affairs
(504) 671-2020

Coast Guard announces intention to terminate the Long Range Aids to Navigation (Loran-C) signal

NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday the publication in the Federal Register of plans to cease broadcasting the North American Loran-C signal Feb. 8, to include all seven Loran-C stations throughout the Eighth Coast Guard District.

Affected District Eight Loran-C stations include:

• Boise City in Felt, Okla.,
• Dana, Ind.,
• Gillette, Wyo., 
• Grangeville, La.,
• Las Cruces, N.M.,
• Malone, Fla.,
• Raymondville, Texas.

As a result of technological advancements during the last 20 years and the emergence of the U.S. Global Positioning System, Loran-C is no longer required by the armed forces, the transportation sector or the nation's security interests, and is used by only a small segment of the population.

President Barack Obama's fiscal year 2010 budget supported the termination of outdated systems and specifically cited the terrestrial-based North American Loran-C system as such an example. The president did not seek funding for the Loran-C system in fiscal year 2010. Termination was also supported through the enactment of the 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. The decision to terminate transmission of the Loran-C signal reflects the president's pledge to eliminate unnecessary federal programs.

The Loran-C system was not established as, nor was it intended to be, a viable systemic backup for GPS. If a single, domestic national system to back up GPS is identified as being necessary, the Department of Homeland Security will complete an analysis of potential backups to GPS. The continued active operation of Loran-C is not necessary to advance this evaluation.

The notice may be viewed online at www.regulations.gov, docket number: USCG-2009-0299. for more information on terminations, reductions and savings contained in the fiscal year 2010 budget, including Loran-C, visit www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/TRS/.

The Eighth Coast Guard District is comprised of 26 states and 10,000 miles of navigable waterways extending from North Dakota to the Gulf of Mexico as well as New Mexico to West Virginia.

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Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Jan. 6, 2009

Contact:  Petty Officer 3rd Class Stephen Lehmann
U.S. Coast Guard External Affairs
(504) 671-2020

Coast Guard urges mariners to prepare for colder weather

NEW ORLEANS— The Eighth Coast Guard District would like to remind all recreational boaters and mariners to prepare for the colder weather forecasted this weekend along the Gulf Coast. 

According to the National Weather Service, an arctic air mass will provide hard freeze conditions Thursday through Saturday, with a possible gale warning being issued Thursday through Sunday.  Wind chill temperatures will vary between 10 and 20 degrees through Sunday morning.

"With air and water temperatures dropping, hypothermia is much more of a danger, especially around the water," said Lt. Ronald Kooper, watch supervisor at the Eighth District Command Center.  "And as always, we strongly encourage that along with a proper fitting life jacket and filing a float plan with a friend or family member, that boaters take all the necessary precautions to remain safe."

For more information on boating safety click here.

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