VIDEO: Bonnie G refloated and relocated

DonJon-SMIT, Inc. salvage crews and Playland Marine LLC pollution removal crews worked during the refloat and towing of the Bonnie G to safe harbor at the Sandfill dock in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. [Bonnie G Response photo]

An incident that began on October 4 with the rescue of 12 people from a vessel that grounded half a mile south of the Cyril E. King airport in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands during Tropical Storm Phillippe, has reached a successful conclusion. The 195-foot Vanuatu-flagged RO/RO cargo vessel Bonnie G, originally delivered in 1981 as an OSV, has been refloated and relocated. It is now safely moored at the Crown Bay Sandfill dock in St. Thomas.

That came after a 26-day saga played out during the peak of the hurricane season, during which efforts to mitigate any possible pollution threats included offloading fuel from the grounded vessel to three large tanks mounted on the aft deck of the Harvey Gulf International Marine offshore supply vessel Harvey Challenger, which had been brought in from Port Fourchon, La.

Yesterday, salvors successfully refloated the Bonnie G and towed the vessel to its current mooring location.

“We commend all of the Coast Guard, federal, and local response agency crews as well as the National Response Corp., Playland Marine LLC and DonJon-SMIT, Inc. for their efforts in achieving a successful response,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Flowers, Coast Guard Bonnie G Response incident commander for the refloating operation. “This was a very complex incident, as the Bonnie G response endured 26 days with the vessel aground and two passing storms in the peak of hurricane season. We are appreciative of the cooperative efforts to protect the pristine waters of the U.S. Virgin Islands by safely removing this pollution threat and preventing major environmental impacts.”