High Surf Delays Response to San Juan Barge Grounding

Rough surface conditions are delaying the salvage response to the grounding of a tank barge at the entrance to San Juan's harbor, Puerto Rico's governor told local media on Tuesday.

On Monday, the fuel barge Defiant grounded on the headland at the port's harbor entrance, just below Castillo San Felipe del Morro (better known as El Morro). In heavy surf, the barge drifted in between a rock breakwater and a riprap revetment along the shoreline, effectively trapping it in a narrow and rocky ditch. Video from the scene showed it slammed back and forth by wave action.

On Tuesday morning, USCG spokesman Ricardo Castrodad told Telemundo that a fuel spill may have occurred on the day of the grounding, as a diesel odor was detected - but no confirmation of a leak has been made, and the pounding surf makes it unlikely that a slick would be detected. It is possible that the barge contains a minor residual amount of 1,000 gallons of light diesel after unloading at its last port of call, he said.

Other than that, the barge is believed to be empty except for a small amount of diesel in a separate deck-level tank for the barge's generators, confirmed Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González. Responders are waiting for improved weather conditions later in the week before starting work to remove or remediate it.

"The waves are 10 to 12 feet high, so that makes it difficult to remove the debris. They are estimating that weather conditions should improve by Wednesday or Thursday, God willing, so they can carry out the removal," González told local outlet Noti Uno.

The governor said that the current plan is to tow the barge off the rocks, and that tugs are ready to go as soon as the weather allows.

A danger warning is in effect this week for the entire northern shoreline of the island, according to the Coast Guard. Breaking waves of up to 12-15 feet are forecast along the length of the coast, along with rip currents and coastal flooding. Multiple beaches have a no-swim order in effect through Thursday.

The grounding has attracted bystanders, as the dramatic scene is readily visible from atop the fort. It has also made international news, as the Castillo San Felipe del Morro is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fort dates back to the early decades of Spanish conquest, and it was a linchpin of Spain's empire in the New World up until the Spanish-American War.