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Friday, September 11, 2015

Warnings Issued About Submerged Dredge Pipe In Bay; Six Vessels Damaged So Far

ASSATEAGUE — At least six boats have been seriously damaged by an unmarked dredge pipe submerged in shallow water in the main navigational channel in the Sinepuxent Bay near Assateague this week, prompting the Coast Guard to issue warnings to mariners and take action to remove the hazard.

There have been six confirmed cases of boats running afoul of the submerged dredge pipe in the main channel near Assateague just north of the Verrazano Bridge this week, likely costing boaters tens of thousands of dollars in damages. It is believed the dredge pipe belongs to a subcontractor working for the federal Army Corps of Engineers on a larger maintenance dredging project in the area.

Coast Guard Ocean City Officer Brandon Scott said on Thursday the Coast Guard was aware of the navigation hazard and was in the process of taking steps to have it removed.

“We are aware of it,” he said. “I don’t know the timetable for getting it removed. Coast Guard Station Ocean City doesn’t do aids to navigation work, so our Aids to Navigation team will come in and get a diver in the water and eventually get that pipe cut out.”

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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm sure that contractor has millions in liability insurance in place. He'd better, or whomever hired them is in for a wild ride!

Anonymous said...

Why wouldn't the coast guard pit a bouy marker out there temporarily?

Anonymous said...

Anything having to do with the Corps of Engineers will take decades to resolve.
The most arrogant, unresponsive bunch on the planet.

Anonymous said...

I feel like I'm missing something.
Like how is this possible ?
How could there be such a hazard right in the channel and next to a buoy ?
Road crews don't leave manhole pipes standing a foot off the pavement.
This seems incredibly dangerous, dumb and illegal. Surely there will now be boats run across there on purpose