Power restored to Exxon tanker; vessel on its way out of Alaska waters

Power restored to tanker; vessel departs Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — An Exxon tanker that lost power Sunday while leaving Alaska’s Prince William Sound is under way again.

Coast Guard Lt. Herbert Law says the tanker Kodiak departed at 4:50 a.m. Monday from a safe harbor at Knowles Head, where tugboats had towed the 831-foot vessel.

Law says the Kodiak will head to San Francisco to offload its oil, then go to Seattle for permanent repairs.

The tanker departed from Port Valdez early Sunday morning but lost power when a rear steam generator overheated.

Power was transferred to a forward steam generator with an auxiliary generator as a backup, an arrangement that the Coast Guard approved for the ship to sail.

The tanker is carrying about 613,000 barrels, or more than 25 million gallons, of crude oil.

Information from: KINY-AM, www.kinyradio.com

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Coast Guard in Alaska says two escort tugs were able to control an Exxon tanker that lost power early Sunday while leaving Prince William Sound.

Three other tugs then helped pull the tanker Kodiak to safe harbor, and there was no spill.

The ship carries more than 25 million gallons of crude oil.

The Anchorage Daily News reports the trouble was reported at the end of the escort route while the tugs were still nearby.

Information from: Anchorage Daily News, www.adn.com