Coast Guard: rusted pipe caused diesel spill from ship in Elizabeth River

NORFOLK

A ship’s broken cooling tube meant to draw in seawater instead let up to 1,700 gallons of diesel fuel spill out into the Elizabeth River downtown Monday, the Coast Guard said today.

Investigators discovered the rusted pipe on the Rude, a decommissioned research vessel recently purchased by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Workers continue mopping up pockets of fuel in the river and cleaning boats docked near the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration marine operations base, where the Rude was docked, said Petty Officer Andrew Kendrick, a Coast Guard spokesman.

The “stern tube” supplies cooling seawater to the engines, and runs through a fuel tank, Kendrick said.