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M/V Sun Bird; Wilkes Ledge, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

Wilkes Ledge, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts | 1985-Oct-30

Initial Notification: At approximately 0830 on October 30, 1985, the M/V Sun Bird, a 310-foot general cargo ship out of Tokyo, Japan, grounded on Wilkes Ledge, a shoal two nautical miles due west of Mishaum Point, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. The vessel's momentum carried it off the shoal. It anchored nearby, where it was reported to be taking on water and releasing oil. A survey determined that damage was confined to the no. 3 central fuel tank and consisted of a 20-foot long by two-foot wide gash starboard of the keel. The no. 3 central tank was sounded and found to contain 17,000 gallons of water and 15,000 gallons of No. 4 fuel oil. Forty-five minutes after the spill, observers on a U.S. Coast Guard overflight reported a slick measuring 1,000 yards by 500 yards emanating from the vessel. USCG district 0.

Incident Details
Products of concern:No. 4 fuel oil
Total amount at risk of spill: 2,500 gallons
Latitude (approximate): 41° 37.00′ North
Longitude (approximate): 70° 41.00′ West