5 Crewmen Hurt as Mooring Line Snaps
Five crewmen aboard the 880-foot oil tanker OMI Columbia were injured Saturday when they were struck by a high-tension mooring line that snapped as the vessel was being anchored off El Segundo, authorities said.
The accident, which occurred just before 8 a.m., did not damage the tanker, according to the U.S. Coast Guard and Los Angeles County lifeguards.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Robert Beales said the vessel was about one mile from shore, being readied to collect oil from Chevron USA’s refinery, when the mooring line broke and struck the crewmen. “Those lines are under tremendous tension. I’ve seen them dent a steel plate when they snap,” Beales said.
The crewmen, badly cut and bruised by the line, were taken by rescue helicopters to two area hospitals and treated for their injuries. All but one, who suffered a deep gash on his forehead, were released after treatment.
The accident is under investigation by the Coast Guard.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
