Spills · grounding
Bligh reef, prince william sound, alaska
Crowley Tug Pathfinder; Bligh Reef, Prince William Sound, Alaska · NOAAORR-8166
- issued
- 2009-12-23 00:00Z
- status
- cancelled 2010-01-06 00:00Z
- self-cancels
- 2010-01-06 00:00Z
- authority
- NOAA OR&R
- sea
- Gulf of Alaska
- position
- 60.838, -146.882
- vessels
- TANKER ESCORT TUG PATHFINDER RANTANKER EXXON VALDEZ · 2 messagesTUG PATHFINDER · 9 messagesTUG PATHFINDER RAN
- source
- incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z
Original warning text
Crowley Tug Pathfinder; Bligh Reef, Prince William Sound, Alaska. Bligh Reef, Prince William Sound, Alaska. 1. On the evening of December 23, 2009, the tanker escort tug Pathfinder ran aground on Bligh Reef, Prince William Sound, Alaska. The vessel has 127,000 gallons of diesel on board. The center bottom tank, containing 22,000 gallons, is ruptured and an unknown amount has spilled. Bligh Reef was the site of the 1989 grounding and spill of the tanker Exxon Valdez. USCG has requested scientific support including trajectory of the spilled fuel oil. 2. THREAT: OIL. COMMODITY: DIESEL. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 43108 GALLONS. TAGS: GROUNDING. 3. POSITION 60.838N 146.882W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 8166: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/8166
This area · spills & pollution incidents
112 within 180 nm since 1985 · 6 in the last 12 months · 1 in force now
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26
- Western cook inlet, ak2026-08-24
- Resurrection bay, seward, ak2026-06-13
- Anchorage, ak 99501, USA2026-04-16
- Whittier, ak 99693, USA2026-01-20
- Prince william sound, ak2025-12-08
- Gulf of alaska2025-10-30
Season · when spills & pollution incidents happen here
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month of issue, all years in the archive
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.