U.S. Oil Tanker Dead in Water, Flooding Off Puerto Vallarta
A U.S. oil tanker carrying 845,000 barrels of Alaskan crude oil was taking on water in its engine room Friday about 90 miles southwest of the Mexican coastal resort of Puerto Vallarta but was in no danger of sinking, a port official said.
The 27-member crew of the Prince William Sound were struggling to pump 55 feet of water out of the engine room, and the ship began to settle slightly to the stern Friday afternoon, Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Joe Amato said.
Officials of Sun Oil Co., a Philadelphia company that owns the ship, said a leak in a 36-inch hose that cools the engine with seawater may have caused the flooding. There was no danger of an oil spill, Coast Guard officials said.
“The ship is dead in the water, but the situation has stabilized,” said a Sun Oil spokesman.
He added that two tankers were sent to remove the cargo and two tugboats left San Diego to tow the ship back to port.
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