One of St. John's larger auto barges, the Capt. Vic, reportedly is en route to Martinique for the permanent repair of a 12-foot gash sustained in its hull when the vessel plowed into a coral reef near the mouth of Cruz Bay Harbor.
A Coast Guard officer from Station St. Thomas said the M/V Capt. Vic initially went to the British Virgin Islands to undergo temporary repairs. "From what I understand, it's currently in Tortola having repairs done to the bottom," Lt. Kevin Smith said. But he added that the barge "will be going to Martinique for permanent repairs."
The accident occurred around 2 a.m. Sunday, leaving the Capt Vic stranded on the reef near Stevens Cay. Two ferries, the Bomba Challenger and the Venture Pride, assisted with refloating operations, Smith said.
Investigators are looking at the possibility of pilot error. Seven people were reportedly aboard at the time of the grounding. No injuries were reported. Smith said investigators had spoken with crew members at the scene but had spoken with the pilot only by telephone.
The rip in the hull was described as 12 feet long and two to three inches wide.
Lewellyn Sewer, president of Republic Barge Service, which operates the Capt. Vic, could not be reached, but an assistant in the Republic office confirmed that the vessel was on its way to Martinique.
In addition to the Capt. Vic, another auto barge, this one operated by Boyson, Inc., was out of service Wednesday for the popular runs between Cruz Bay and Red Hook. This resulted in a back-up of delivery trucks and heavy equipment on the Cruz Bay bulkhead. At mid-morning, a traffic enforcement officer was dispatched from the Zone D Police command to direct the loading and unloading of the operating barges.
