Breakaway Barge Retrieved After Striking Pier in Seattle

A fully loaded container barge that broke loose and struck a pier in downtown Seattle has been towed to safety.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it was notified at 1:25 p.m. on Thursday that the barge had broken loose from Terminal 18 and went adrift in Elliot Bay.

The barge, owned by Lyden's Alaska Marine Lines, was drifting toward the Great Wheel and the Seattle Aquarium when it was intercepted by a King County Water Taxi vessel, Doc Maynard, which used its bow to push the barge north in an attempt to prevent an allision.

The barge eventually struck Pier 66, causing landside damage. No injuries or pollution have been reported.

Three tugboats obtained control of the barge and placed it in tow for transport to Terminal 115.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.