Containers Fall into Oakland Estuary

The U.S. Coast Guard and San Francisco fire department personnel enforced a safety zone for containers that fell in the water from the motor vessel NYK Aquarius while offloading cargo at SSA Facility Berth 57 in the Oakland estuary late Saturday, November 15.

At approximately 8:30 p.m. local time, Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders received a report of three drifting containers in the Oakland estuary.

Coast Guard Station San Francisco launched two response boatcrews to maintain a 500-yard safety zone with Alameda County Fire Department and Oakland Fire Department crews.

Coast Guard crews escorted dinner cruise vessels to their berths in Oakland until the containers could be safely removed. Tug boat Patricia Ann arrived on scene and pushed all three containers alongside the dock to be picked up by a crane.

The containers did not contain any hazardous material, and no injuries were reported. The Coast Guard is currently assisting with a preliminary investigation into the incident.

Press Release; Image: PVMS