Cougar Ace now adrift 126 miles from Amlia Island in the Aleutian Island, Alaska chain
7/29/06Juneau, Alaska
The Alaska Coast Guard says that the Cougar Ace was at last reported at 126 nautical miles south of Amlia Island in the Aleutian Island chain. It has been adrift since approximately 1 a.m. Monday. The vessel is being pushed by the wind at about one point seven knots. Since about 4 p.m. Wednesday the vessel was on a mostly northern route. Friday it took a east north east course.
It is still on that course. The 378-foot Coast Guard cutter Morgenthau is on scene monitoring the Cougar Ace for signs of pollution and tracking its movement. Once the Makushin Bay is on scene the various salvage experts will assess the condition of the vessel and report salvage options to the Unified Command for action. Those reports will provide for accurate plans to right the vessel and safely tow it. Additional salvage equipment is being staged in Dutch Harbor.
Weather conditions on scene are reported as 12 knot winds from the southwest. Sea state is one foot seas with three foot swells. Conditions are overcast with intermittent rain and dense fog.
The amount of fuel on board has been confirmed as 113,500 gallons of Intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO) 380 and 33,000 gallons of marine diesel.
Gathered from the US Coast Guard
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