CG Investigates Grounding of Ferry

At approximately 11:30 p.m., July 21, 2009, the 57-ft car ferry, Captain, went aground at Balboa Island, Newport, Calif. with no passengers aboard.

At the time of the incident, the ferry operators reported a 2-foot hole in the vessel's hull, but there were no reports of flooding.

When the ferry grounded, there was an estimated 50 gallons of gasoline onboard. The fuel has been removed and there have been no reports of pollution to the Coast Guard at this time.

The ferry has been refloated and has been taken to a nearby shipyard for repairs. Coast Guard inspectors and investigators from Sector Los Angeles - Long Beach will continue the investigation and oversee the repairs.