Coast Guard monitors barge lost in tow near Columbia River entrance

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard closely monitored the efforts of a tugboat crew as it successfully regained control of a barge that was lost in tow Wednesday.



Station Cape Disappointment received a call at approximately 6:50 p.m. from the tugboat MIKI HANA stating the cable being used to tow a 330-foot barge had snapped in 20-foot seas 10 miles west of Astoria during last night's storm.



The master of the MIKI HANA requested Coast Guard presence on scene due to the hazards of working on deck in high winds and seas.



Air Station Astoria, Ore., dispatched an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew to monitor the MIKI HANA crew as they attempted to regain control of the barge.

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Initial attempts made by the MIKI HANA crew were unsuccessful.



The Coast Guard remained in close contact with the MIKI HANA crew over the next several hours, and coordinated with the owners, the states of Washington and Oregon and the member agencies of the Regional Response Team.



At approximately 11:10 p.m. the MIKI HANA crew retrieved the barge using an Orville Hook.



The barge, containing approximately 700,000 pounds of construction material and 400 gallons of diesel fuel, remains offshore under the control of the MIKI HANA.