USVI-On-Line

Has anyone heard this story? Where is Triangle Reef? From the AP:

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- A passenger ferry that ran aground on a coral reef near the U.S. Virgin Islands has spilled half its fuel into the water, the U.S. Coast Guard said Monday.

An estimated 350 gallons of diesel fuel escaped after the American Pride ferry hit Triangle Reef off St. Thomas on Saturday, said Ricardo Castrodad, a guard spokesman.

The extent of any damage to Triangle Reef, which consists of three reefs popular among divers, was unknown because the 96-foot boat had yet to be removed, Castrodad said.

The vessel was carrying 15 passengers to Tortola, in the nearby British Virgin Islands, when it ran aground. Nobody was injured.

St. Thomas authorities were investigating the cause of the accident. A call to the ferry's owner was not immediately returned.

Yes, I saw it at lunchtime in the VI Daily News. An earlier article said it was near Frenchman's Reef.

http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/i ... d=17605830

I get Google News alerts for the USVI.

Anthony,

Triangle Reef is right out of Charlotte Amalie harbor to the right as you are heading to St John.

"St. Thomas authorities were investigating the cause of the accident."

Thats the funniest thing I've ever read since a police report I read a few months ago about about a guy stealing a handful of birdseed in his pocket and wart remover. What are they investigating, if the captain was blind or not?

The ONLY reason this guy ran aground is because the Tortolian ferry boat captains are notorious for being reckless and careless. He was outside of a WELL marked channel, the huge red can marker was about 50 yards away from him on his port side, which he had already illegally passed on the wrong side, because he was taking a 2 minute shortcut and crashed on a well marked reef. The rocks are also sticking OUT of the water so even if you are complete idiot, which this guy must have been, he must of had his eyes shut too.

I would be suprised if this thing gets salvaged since it has been rocking back and forth wiggling its way further and further onto the rock, and the starboard side is almost completely underwater. Should be interesting....

RevStu thanks for that update - does anybody have a picture? So they ran this thing on to the reef and left it there? Is this off of Morningstar beach?

Here's the USCG press release:
https://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/586/151051/

Isn't there some pretty big fines for something like this?

We were on one of the fast boats from Tortola to STT in August 2004 when they rammed the entire boat into the dock twice! We were all standing up and were thrown backwards quite a ways. They damaged the dock and took part of the roof off the customs building. When we finally got off the boat to check through customs, one of the customs officers said they weren't suprised it was a captain from Tortola. He said they are known to be the worst drivers.

I have also seen ferry captains at Willy T's during the day with a private charter havind their fair share of painkillers when they were scheduled for ferry duty that nite.

Dusty Pete has a personal photo of the wreck before they cut it in half. See his trip report. Thanks, Dusty Pete.