Cargo Ship Carrying Munitions Runs Aground

Anacortes, Washington A 322-foot barge loaded with cargo being towed by a tug through the Rosario straight ran aground. The barge was loaded with 100 containers of supplies including explosive ordnance for the Navy's munition facility on Indian Island. Specific details of the munitions load onboard the barge were not released but estimates reported the munitions load at 9,000 pounds net explosive weight.

The Navy, Coastguard, and Washington Department of Ecology responded to the grounding call. As a precaution, the Coastguard established a temporary 2,000 yard exclusion safety zone around the barge as Navy EOD inspected the munitions cargo. After EOD determined that the munitions were intact, divers inspected the hull while the Coastguard conducted a safety inspection of the vessel. After these initial inspections, the barge was pulled free by a tug boat to an area outside of the shipping channel for further inspection.