Incident News

Initial Report: At 6:30 pm on 30 July, 2025, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Northern Great Lakes notified the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) about a 30 gallon release of hydraulic fluid from the Barge PRESQUE ISLE. Release occurred at 9:45 pm (local time) on 29 July. USCG requesting trajectory.

USCG Sector San Franscisco contacted the SSC regarding an small aircraft crash near Point Pinos, Monterey Bay late on 7/26/2025. The location is in or near the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. NTSB is expected to arrive on-scene later today. Aircraft was a Beechcraft Twin-Engine, with a fuel capacity of up to 180 gallons. An exact location of the crash is currently unknown. USCG requested a fate and trajectory estimate for where oil may be when NTSB arrives onscene, approximately 18 hours after the crash.

Initial Report: On July 25, 2025, the Marine Debris Coordinator for Alaska contacted the Alaska Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) regarding 'a notable amount' of containers or drums containing various household and shipboard chemicals (as best they could tell). A NOAA-grant funded marine debris cleanup team asked for guidance on how to proceed with the containers. The SSC provided some basic safety advice and concerns, and recommended the team move containers that were in good condition, and safe to move, above the high tide line; photograph and document the type and condition of the containers; then report the situation to the National Response Center. The SSC shared a brief situation update to the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Valdez and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

Initial Report: At approximately 1530 on 23 July 2025, U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Toledo contacted the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator about an estimated 30-ton spill of oats into the Maumee River. The USCG is looking for information on potential environmental impacts.

Initial Report: At 1730 local time on 21 July 2025, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Memphis contacted the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) regarding an ITV (inspected towing vessel) that ran aground on a dike located at mile marker 526 on the Mississippi River near Lakeport, Arkansas. No discharge has been reported, but the vessel sustained damage near the starboard fuel tank with a capacity of 78,000 gallons of diesel onboard. USCG is requesting a trajectory analysis for a potential WCD (worst case discharge).

The NOAA SSC was notified by WAECY that a dual trailer tanker truck went off road between milepost 238 and 237 of Hwy 101 and into Indian Creek. One trailer is carrying a potential of 3900 gallons of diesel and the other a potential of 6000 gallons of gasoline. The driver has been taken to the hospital. Washington Depart of Ecology (ECY) is enroute. The trucking company is hiring a response cleanup contractor, ETA unknown. Washington State Patrol is on scene and is reporting the truck is currently leaking oil into the river. It is unknown if this is coming from either of the two trailers or the saddle tanks. National Marine Fisheries Service has been notified.

11 July 2025: U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) received notification of a TPIC 10+ barrel crude oil spill into Delta National Wildlife Refuge. The release is not yet secure. Potential in situ burn. USCG is requesting onsite support.

Initial Report: 03 July, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) received a report of 12,000 lbs methacrylic acid (CAS 79-41-4) released into the Mississippi River at 10800 River Road, St Rose, Louisiana. USCG requested a hazard summary.

Initial Report: On 2 July, 2025, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Marine Safety Unit (MSU) Lake Charles contacted the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) regarding a potential discharge of oil in the vicinity of West Cameron, Cameron Parish, Louisiana. National Response Center report #1435773 was issued by the NOAA Satellite Assessment Branch based on imagery acquired at 10:49 local time on 1 July, indicating a 3.6 mile sheen observed by Sentinel 2 C. USCG contacted the NOAA SSC and the State, and is enroute to investigate. A number of potential sources are located in the vicinity of the discharge, including wells operated by Creole Operating. Unknown if release is secured. USCG is requesting trajectory analysis and possible further support based on extent of spill.

USCG notified the SSC of the intentional grounding of the F/V Happy Hooker near Pilot Point, AK on 6/28/2025. Fish in the hold shifted during high winds, causing the vessel to lift and list. The crew beached the vessel to avoid capsizing. No discharge has been reported.

U.S. Coast Guard responded to a 60-ft sailboat that caught fire on 28 JUN 2025 and then sank at approximately 1630 EST. USCG requested NOAA's support for providing a fate analysis for the incident. Total potential for discharge is 200 gallons of No 2 Diesel Fuel. LAT/LONG 28-24.440N 080-33.941W. On scene weather was partly cloudy, 76F, wind 8kts S, sea state less than 1 foot.

On 27 JUNE 2025, USCG MSU Houma contacted the NOAA SSC regarding a potential discharge of oil in vicinity of Lake Barre, Terrebonne Parrish, LA. NRC report #1435335 was received by USCG at 1311 local indicating a 3 mile by 0.75 sheen observed by local fishing vessel at 11:15 local time. USCG contacted entities who operate in the area. Estimated 10-15 barrel discharge likely from a flow line, but details could not be confirmed. PRP mobilized an OSRO and overflight to determine extent of the spill and take appropriate actions. OSRO arrived on site and deployed boom and conducted recovery actions. NOAA ORR provided trajectory analysis and other technical support. Release was secured on 6/28 and no further sheen was observed by 6/29. Final repair actions are planned to take approximately two weeks.

NMFS Protected Resources Division requested drift modeling for a deceased whale.

An crude oil discharge has been reported off of Northstar/Seal Island, an artificial oil production island, near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The oil appears to be partially trapped or under sea ice. The source is under investigation.

On 23 JUN 2025, NOAA Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office Protected Resources Division staff contacted NOAA Emergency Response Division requesting trajectory information for a deceased humpback whale.

On June 19, 2025, U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Cleveland contacted the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator for the Great Lakes about a sheen in Kingsbury Run, which flows into the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie. The incident was discovered on June 10 and reported to the NRC on June 12.

The OR&R Marine Debris Program contacted the Alaska Scientific Support Coordinator for assistance in identifying coordinating partners to respond to a release of fish food bags (empty/used) from a shipping container on a barge. A barge transporting shipping containers of waste lost a container full of plastic bags near the southern tip of Admiralty Island in Southeast Alaska and thousands of bags were released. Bags have been found in Funter Bay on the northwest side of Admiralty Island.

At 0830 on 18 JUN 2025, USCG Sector Southeastern New England contacted the NOAA SSC requesting trajectory information for a commercial fishing vessel that sank at approximately 0330 on 18 JUN in a location approximately 23 NM off Nantucket, MA.

The NOAA SSC was notified by USCG Sector San Diego's Incident Management Division (IMD) that a USCG aircraft observed a sheen approximately 0.25 mile X 0.25 mile in size approximately 20 miles east of San Clemente Island (the southernmost of the eight California Channel Islands). USCG reports no wells or pipelines in the area and no recent vessel transits of the area. The aircraft collected 4 photographs. Initial impression is that the sheen is biological. The aircraft is still on-scene and will communicate any additional observations.

The NOAA SSC was notified by Sector Seattle Incident Management Division of a capsized vessel in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. All six persons on board were rescued by a good Samaritan boater in the area. The vessel was reported to be 22-foot with an unknown type and quantity of fuel on board. The vessel reportedly began sinking around 2:00 p.m. in anywhere from 50-200 feet of water. USCG is working to arrange an overflight of the area to look for any sign of oil sheen.