Incident News

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.

USCG MSD Sitka, Alaska contacted the SSC regarding potential hazards of refrigerant oil on a sunken vessel. A fishing vessel sank in November 2024, but only recently started to discharge fuel, resulting in a small sheen. The owner reported diesel fuel and refrigerant oil on board. The salvage divers requested further information on hazards of refrigerant oil.

On the morning of 26 May 2025, a barge carrying roughly 240 thousand gallons of caustic soda (50% solution) flipped in the Mississippi River. The USCG contacted NOAA requesting information on potential effects.

May 23, 2025, 0600 CDT: TPIC tank at Romere Pass facility overflowed into secondary containment. At least 50 bbl escaped containment into the waterway. Spill location was given as: 29º 16’ 31”N–89º 14’ 35”W At 1000 CDT, an overflight indicated the NW leading edge was at: 29°19′45″N–89°13′9″W. USCG requested a Trajectory Analysis.

The USCG Sector Guam Command Center contacted the SSC for the Pacific Islands for assistance in determining whether two flares observed off of Guam with no associated missing vessel or person reports could potentially have been the result of some type of natural weather or atmospheric event. The SSC connected the Sector with NWS experts to evaluate.

20 MAY 2025: A Lobo Operating, Inc. well discharged at least 15bbl of crude oil onto water adjacent to a marsh and tidal flat. The area of impact is approximately 40 x 100 yards. Release was secured at approximately 0800 21 MAY. OSROs onsite conducting cleanup operations. USCG requesting NOAA support to determine appropriate cleanup techniques.

On May 19, 2025, USEPA Region 5 contacted the NOAA District 8 SSC regarding technical support for an asphalt discharge in EPA zone Region 5. SSC is providing remote technical support on oil fate and behavior for spill. For further details, refer to SITREP/POLREPs on ResponseLink.

The National Response Center is reporting a discharge of diesel into Grays Harbor, Washington from the fishing vessel Captain Raleigh. The vessel is reported to be capsized and sinking. Rescue efforts are underway. Fuel capacity is reported to be 7000 gallons of diesel.

The NOAA Hazmat Duty Officer received a call from USCG Sector Los Angeles - Long Beach regarding a 1045-foot container ship which has lost 792 gallons of bunker fuel into its cargo hold. The vessel is currently over 400 nautical miles offshore and USCG is seeking confirmation that the vessel does not pose a threat to the US EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone).

At 1700 on 26 APR 2025 USCG Sector New Orleans contacted the NOAA SSC regarding a reported well blowout in a marsh area near Garden Island Bay Pass-a-Loutre Wildlife Management Area, LA. The discharge rate is currently unknown. The USCG requested NOAA prepare an oil fate and trajectory and resources at risk.