M/V Spirit of 98; Tracey Arm, southeast Alaska

Tracey Arm, southeast Alaska | 1999-Jul-27

Initial Notification: The USCG MSO Juneau office reported that at 0900 on July 27, 1999, the 192-foot cruise ship, M/V Spirit of 98, hit a rock in the eastern end of Tracy Arm in southeast Alaska making a hole into the engine room. No fuel tanks were punctured and no release of fuel occurred. Nevertheless, the vessel was in jeopardy of sinking because of the flooding engine room. The eastern 5 to 6 miles of Tracy Arm are vertical cliffs with no beach to intentionally ground the vessel to keep it from sinking. The captain was able to motor the vessel far enough to the west to intentionally ground the vessel 6 to 7 miles from its collision point. Meanwhile the USCG responded with air-lift pumps and crew to stem the incoming water. The USCG Cutter Anacapa was on-scene and constructed a cofferdam around the leak for a concrete patch. With the engine room dewatered, the Spirit of 98 was towed to Ketchikan for repairs. USCG district 17. Keyword: none.