After running aground at night near Bella Bella, British Columbia, the captain of an articulated tug-barge told the Canadian Coast Guard that the ATB was not in danger of sinking.
But by daybreak the tugboat Nathan E. Stewart was taking on water and its fuel tanks had breached.
The twin-screw, 3,400-hp tug sank at about 0930 on Oct. 13, 2016, roughly 8.5 hours after grounding near Athlone Island at the entrance to Seaforth Channel. The empty tank barge DBL 55 also was damaged but remained afloat.
Nathan E. Stewart was carrying about 59,000 gallons of diesel and 2,500 gallons of lube and mechanical oils. Canadian authorities believe up to 25,000 gallons of fuel and 1,500 gallons of lube oils escaped from the tug, which remained aground for more than a month.
The spill fouled local waterways and coves considered sacred by the Heiltsuk Nation and reignited tensions around transporting oil through Canadian tribal areas.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is leading the accident probe, although the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. National Transportation Safety Board also are investigating. The tug and barge are owned by a subsidiary of Houston-based Kirby Corp.
Authorities from both countries declined to comment on a possible cause of the incident, citing the ongoing case. However, TSB senior investigator Glenn Budden said the ATB ran onto the rocks 200 meters from Athlone Island, suggesting the vessels failed to make the turn to port needed to enter the channel.
“From the AIS track for the previously roughly 50 minutes, it maintained the same speed and course until it hit the island,” Budden said in a recent interview.
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