Tugs in Kulluk Response Effort Collide

The anchor-handling vessel, the Aiviq, tows the drilling unit Kulluk to a safe harbor location in Kiliuda Bay, Alaska on Jan. 7, 2013. Photo by U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Klingenberg.
The anchor-handling vessel, the Aiviq, tows the drilling unit Kulluk to a safe harbor location in Kiliuda Bay, Alaska on Jan. 7, 2013. Photo by U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Klingenberg.

Two tugs scheduled to tow a damaged Royal Dutch Shell PLC drill barge collided while maneuvering in a bay off Kodiak Island.

KTUU-TV reports the collision happened Friday when the tug Corbin Foss hit the other tug, the Ocean Wave.

Drug tests were conducted on crew members but the Coast Guard did not respond to the non-injury collision.

The Kulluk ran aground Dec. 31 near Kodiak Island as it was being towed to Seattle for maintenance and broke free in a storm. It was refloated and taken to a sheltered harbor.

A Shell spokesman says in an email to The Associated Press that poor weather has delayed the Kulluk from being towed to Dutch Harbor, but plans to take it from there to Asia in dry transport remains viable.

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