On the morning of November 1, 1979, the Burmah Agate and the Mimosa collided at the entrance to Galveston Harbor. The Mimosa struck the Burmah Agate on its starboard side, tearing an 8 by 15 foot hole in the hull near Cargo Tank No. 5. An explosion occurred upon impact, and the leaking oil ignited. The USCG immediately dispatched the Coast Guard Cutter Valiant to begin search and rescue operations. By 1230 all 26 crew members of the Mimosa had been found, but only 6 of the Burmah Agate's 37 crew members were accounted for. The owners of the Burmah Agate assumed responsibility for the spill response. They contracted Clean Water, Inc. for cleanup operations, and Smit International Inc. to fight fires on the Burmah Agate, and to assist in salvage. The Burmah Agate burned until January 8, 1980 and was towed to Brownsville, Texas on February 1 for scrapping. USCG district 8. Keyword: Collision, explosion, fire, vacalls, vacuum truck, Open Water Oil Containment and Recovery System (OWOCRS), Open Water Oil Recovery System (OWORS), skimmers, U.S. Navy Superintendent of Salvage (NAVSUPSALV), Clean Water, lightering, salvage, Gulf Strike Team (GST), boom, manual removal..

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Note: Documents are posted chronologically and early reports likely contain factual errors. These errors may be corrected in a later report.