A docked tugboat began to capsize south of the Brightman Street Bridge in Fall River, Mass., on Saturday, prompting a multi-agency response.
The Fall River Police Department Harbormaster, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, Fall River Fire Department, and other agencies responded to the scene to assess the situation and stabilize the vessel.
Upon arrival, responders observed that several lines holding the tugboat were actively snapping due to the shifting weight of the vessel as it began to list, according to Fall River Police. Crews worked to secure new lines and prevent the tug from fully capsizing, sinking, or drifting into the channel where it could pose a hazard to navigation.
The vessel — believed to be the laid-up, 102.7'x28.5' Guardian, owned by Cape Cod Canal Towing LLC, Springfield, Mass. — had been drained of fuel prior to the incident, officials said. Crews established protective containment measures in the water as a precaution to mitigate any possible release of fuel or other contaminants.
Crews remained on scene working to further secure the lines while awaiting the arrival of specialized heavy equipment capable of lifting and stabilizing the vessel. Once that equipment arrives, a more permanent recovery operation will begin.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
The Guardian was built in 1968 by Gulfport Shipbuilding Inc., Port Arthur, Texas. It has previously sailed under the names Crusader, Lyman Smith, and Lyman. In 1988, the tug sank while towing a barge near Sandy Hook, N.J.
