Spills

East long island sound

Tug John A. Downs; East Long Island Sound · NOAAORR-6278

issued
1985-03-04 00:00Z
status
cancelled 1985-03-18 00:00Z
self-cancels
1985-03-18 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
North Atlantic Ocean
position
41.258, -72.142
vessel
TUG JOHN A DOWNS
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Tug John A. Downs; East Long Island Sound.
East Long Island Sound.
1. INCIDENT SUMMARY ON THE NIGHT OF MARCH 4, 1985 THE 113 FOOT TUG, JOHN A DOWNS, WITH 3 BARGES IN TOW BEGAN TO TAKE ON WATER. THE EMPTY BARGES WERE CUT LOOSE BUT THE VESSEL CONTINUED TO FLOUNDER. THE CREW OF 13 ABANDONED SHIP AND WERE RESCUED BY THE U.S. COAST GUARD. ALL THREE BARGES WERE TAKEN IN TOW BY OTHER VESSELS. . ON THE MORNING OF MARCH 5 AN OIL SLICK WAS SIGHTED DURING LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS FROM A BUOY MARKED "2A" ON NOAA CHART 13211. THE MOST RECENT NUMBER FOR THIS BUOY IS "4" LOCATED AT 41 DEGREES 15.5 MIN NORTH LAT. AND 72 DEGREES 08.5 MIN WEST LONG. THE SLICK IS REPORTED TO EXTEND TO THE SOUTH WEST FOR 3/4 OF A MILE. NO WIDTH CAN BE OBSERVED. . THE JOHN A DOWNS IS REPORTED TO HAVE 50,000 GALLONS OF #2 FUEL OIL AND 1,000 GALLONS OF LUBE OIL ON BOARD. . USCG district 1.
2. COMMODITY: #2 FUEL OIL, LUBE OIL.
3. POSITION 41.258N 072.142W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6278: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6278

This area · spills & pollution incidents

575 within 180 nm since 1972 · 11 in the last 12 months · 0 in force now

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Season · when spills & pollution incidents happen here

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month of issue, all years in the archive

Timeline · 4 messages since 1985-01-19 · closed 1985-05-01

  1. Block island sound, ny1985-01-19 → 1985-02-02
  2. East long island sound this message1985-03-04 → 1985-03-18
  3. Long island sound, bartlett reef, ny1985-03-05 → 1985-03-19
  4. Ninigret pond dredge barge sank; ninigret pond, north block island sound, ny1985-04-17 → 1985-05-01

joined by proximity

Nearby now · within 120 nm

Nothing else in force within 120 nm.

Worldwide now

8 spills & pollution incidents in force · see all

Spills

Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents →

Not for navigation. This is a re-rendering of an official navigational warning for awareness; mariners must use official NAVAREA broadcasts and their national MSI service.