SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Coast Guard Incident Management Division personnel from Sector San Juan, working alongside federal and local agencies, continue to monitor removal efforts, Tuesday, for the motor yacht Runaway, after the vessel ran aground on a reef in waters west of Ensenada Honda in Culebra, Puerto Rico, December 30, 2024.
The owner of the motor yacht Runaway, who is coordinating efforts to refloat the vessel, completed the removal of approximately 160 gallons of petroleum products from the vessel, Friday. The fuel and oil removed were comprised of diesel fuel from the vessel’s fuel tanks and oil from the vessel’s engine.
The recovered fuel was reportedly donated to the fisherman’s village community in Culebra.
“Now that the bulk of petroleum products on board this vessel has been successfully removed, the priority is to have the vessel removed from the reef as soon as it is safely possible,” said Lt. Cmdr. Ray Lopez, Coast Guard Sector San Juan Chief of Incident Management. “We will continue to work with the vessel owner and our local and federal partners to ensure that the best vessel removal plan is approved to minimize any further impacts to the reef and the surrounding sensitive marine environment.”
Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Natural Resources and US Fish and Wildlife subject matter experts are reviewing the owner’s proposed removal plan for the contracted salvage company to use air and roller bags to float the vessel off the reef. Once the vessel is successfully refloated, it will be moved north to calmer water and a sand bottom area in Bahia Linda in Culebra, where the necessary patchwork will be completed before the vessel can be towed to a destination where full repairs can be completed.
As a result of the grounding, the vessel Runaway’s hull was breached at the stern on the port side, while the middle section of the vessel is clear of any reefs. The water entering the vessel is being contained and has posed no immediate threat to the vessel. The vessel remains stabilized with anchors at the bow and stern to keep it in place, and the owner is equipped with a dinghy in case of evacuation.
Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural and Environmental Resources personnel have conducted and initial assessment of the impacted reef, while the National Atmospheric Oceanic Administration has submitted an Emergency Section 7 Consultation for this case in accordance with the Endangered Species Act.
In the reef area of the grounding, there are three species of coral listed as protected species. Additionally, the area is identified as sea turtle and manatee habitat. The owner and salvage contractors were provided with the best management practices from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regarding dealing with sensitive and protected wildlife.
At 10:27 a.m., December 30, 2024, Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan received the initial incident communication from Coast Guard Boat Forces Unit US Virgin Islands personnel reporting the 80-foot motor yacht Runaway had run hard aground and was taking on water with four people on board and two dogs. A responding Boat Forces Unit US Virgin Islands 33-foot Special Purpose Craft crew arrived on scene with a P-6 dewatering pump. The Coast Guard crew assisted the vessel captain with the pump installation and initial dewatering efforts to control flooding onboard. The Coast Guard boat crew then transported two Runaway vessel passengers to Saint Thomas, US Virgin Islands, while the two others remained onboard the yacht monitoring flooding and coordinating initial salvage arrangements.
