Public Affairs Detachment New York
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Jan. 14, 2008 
Public Affairs
(212) 668-7114

Press Release

Fuel spill contained after tugboat sinks at Brooklyn pier

NEW YORK- A diesel spill was reported and contained after an out-of-service tugboat sank at the 38th Street pier in Brooklyn, N.Y., around 2 p.m. today.

No one was onboard the vessel at the time it sank.

About 300 to 400 gallons of diesel fuel were reported to have spilled. Miller Environmental responded to the scene, placing absorbent boom around the area in order to contain the spill. No fuel is reported to have escaped the boom.

Divers were able to stop the tug from leaking more fuel into the harbor.

"Sector New York is monitoring the situation very closely," said Lt. j.g. Maria Rosario, Coast Guard Sector New York's command duty officer. "We will conduct an over flight of the area in the morning with an auxiliary aircraft to ensure the diesel has not escaped the boom."

Arrangements to salvage the vessel are being made by the D'Onofrio General Contracting Corporation.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

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