Storm-tossed tugboat rams old Bonner Bridge on Outer Banks; crew of 8 survives

A crew of eight people made it safely to shore Sunday after their tugboat hit the old Bonner Bridge and flipped in Oregon Inlet at the height of a nor’easter, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

It happened around 11 a.m. Sunday, and the boat remained “semi-submerged” and leaning against bridge Monday morning. The old bridge no longer carries traffic, since a new bridge opened earlier this year.

Coast officials reported late Monday that diesel fuel was leaking from the tugboat. It’s believed as many as 3,000 gallons of fuel were in the boat’s tanks when is sank, officials said in a release.

OBX Today reports the crash occurred as the boat and its crew were attempting to secure a barge that broke free and was being tossed in the rough current near the bridge.

Witnesses posted photos on Facebook showing the tugboat on its side against the old bridge, and a barge not far away. “This could have been a disaster,” noted a post from the Cape Hatteras Motel.

The tugboat was identified as the Miss Bonnie, and the Coast Guard said a caller reported the mishap at 11:09 a.m. Sunday.

“All eight people aboard the tugboat returned to shore safely and reported they had no injuries,” the Coast Guard said in a news release. “The cause of the case is currently under investigation.”

The tugboat struck the southern end of the old bridge, OBX Today reported.

Coast Guard officials said it is taking measures to prevent the leaking fuel from contaminating the inlet with “200 feet of sorbent boom and 175 feet of containment boom around the vessel.”

“There have been no reports of impacts to wildlife at this time. The channel currently remains open to all vessel traffic,” a release said.

A nor’easter lashed the Outer Banks over the weekend, bringing 23-foot waves, 10 inches of rain and wind gusts of about 60 mph.

N.C. 12 remained closed between the Marc Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe on Monday morning, due to ocean overwash and sand. A breach was reported at the Mirlo Dune near Oregon Inlet, state officials said.

Construction crews are in the process of dismantling most of the old Bonner Bridge, after it was replaced by a new one earlier this year. The bridge carried N.C. traffic over Oregon Inlet between Hatteras and Bodie Islands.

Part of the old bridge is being left up to serve as a fishing pier and vantage point for tourists.

This story was originally published November 18, 2019 at 6:58 AM with the headline "Storm-tossed tugboat rams old Bonner Bridge on Outer Banks; crew of 8 survives."