SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — The U.S. Coast Guard released more information Thursday about the tanker that crashed into three unmanned sailboats near the mouth of the Piscataqua River on Wednesday afternoon.
The Coast Guard said that crews continued Thursday to monitor the tank vessel Chem Venus, which struck bottom near Goat Island Ledge before hitting the three sailboats that were moored on the Piscataqua River near the Kittery and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, border.
Chem Venus began taking on water because of damage that occurred during the grounding. The vessel was stabilized and monitored by the ship’s crew and Coast Guard responders until salvage divers arrived Thursday to assess the extent of the damage. They found a 3 foot by 10 foot tear on the starboard bow.
The owner of Chem Venus is expected to develop a salvage plan, which will be reviewed and approved by the Coast Guard. Until then, Chem Venus is safely anchored outside the Piscataqua River.
“We are extremely fortunate this incident did not result in environmental pollution or loss of life. We continue to monitor this situation very closely in coordination with our federal, state and local partners,” Capt. Michael Baroody of Sector Northern New England said.
“Our priority moving forward is to ensure a safe and effective salvage plan is developed that allows for the vessel to be safely moved to a facility capable of making necessary repairs,” he said.
The cause of the grounding and crash remained under investigation on Thursday.