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BALTIMORE - The Mediterranean Shipping Company vessel Japan has re-floated after five hours of being aground in the Chesapeake Bay today.

The vessel re-floated under its own power and was assisted by two tugs and the incoming tide. 

The vessel Japan, a 796-foot Panamanian flagged cargo ship, ran aground near Sandy Point Light approximately one mile north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge this afternoon.

A Coast Guard inspection team from Coast Guard Sector Baltimore is aboard the vessel conducting safety checks to ensure the vessel is safe to transit to an anchorage in Annapolis, Md., where an inspection of the hull must be completed prior to it being released. The hull will be inspected tonight by divers once the vessel is at the anchorage. An internal survey by the crew of the Japan has been completed and no damage was found. The Japan will be assisted by two tugs to its anchorage location to ensure safe transit.  

A 25-foot Coast Guard response boat crew from Station Annapolis is on scene to enforce a safety zone around the vessel. 

There is no report of injuries or pollution.

The Japan was in route to Port Elizabeth, N.J.

This incident is currently under investigation

BALTIMORE - The Coast Guard is responding to a cargo ship that ran aground in the Chesapeake Bay this afternoon. 

The Mediterranean Shipping Company vessel Japan, a 796-foot Panamanian flagged cargo ship, ran aground near Sandy Point Light approximately one mile north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The initial notification to the Coast Guard was received at about 4:15 p.m.

A Coast Guard inspection team and boarding officers from Coast Guard Sector Baltimore were deployed to the grounded vessel. Additionally, a 25-foot Coast Guard response boat crew from Station Annapolis, Md., is on scene to enforce a safety zone around the vessel.

There is no report of injuries or pollution.

Two tugs hired by the shipping company are in route to the vessel to help free it. High tide in that area will be at 9:45 p.m. and will help re-float the vessel.

The Japan was in route to Port Elizabeth, NJ.

This incident is currently under investigation.

The Mediterranean Shipping Company vessel Japan, a 37,000-ton cargo ship from Panama, ran aground between Sandy Pt. Light and Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Md. after a loss of power at 4:30 p.m.

A 25- foot Coast Guard response boat crew is on scene to investigate the cause of the grounding. The vessel has regained power and will try to re-float itself. Two tugs are in route to assist in re-floating the MSC Japan. There is no report of pollution or injuries and container soundings are normal. Vessel was in route to Port Elizabeth, NJ.

This incident is currently under investigation.

The first case began at 4:45 p.m. when the Coast Guard received a call for help from the two person crew of the 30-foot fishing vessel, LIL OUTRIGGER, reporting that their vessel had begun taking on water near the mouth of the Pungo River in the Pamlico Sound.

Rescue crew's onboard a 23-foot Coast Guard search and rescue boat from Station Hobucken and a search and rescue helicopter crew from Marine Corps. Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., were dispatched to the scene.

After arriving on scene, the rescue crews escorted the LIL OUTRIGGER to the Northwest Creek Marina, where it moored safely.

Minutes later the Coast Guard received a second MAYDAY call from the four-person crew of a 20-foot pleasure craft , reporting that their vessel was also taking on water and sinking five miles northeast of Pamlico Point, also in the Pamlico Sound and five miles from the scene of the first rescue.

Coast Guard rescue crews, onboard a 25-foot rescue boat from Station Hobucken and a MH-60 Helicopter from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., were sent to the second vessel's location.

Upon arriving, the Hobucken crew discovered that the vessel had sunk and rescued the four people from the water.

The four people were taken to Station Hobucken where they were turned over to local EMS crews for treatment.

Coast Guard Petty Officers Bryce Adams and Jeff Moberly, the coxswains on today's cases said that the teamwork at the unit played a huge part in the success of today's cases.

"We had great communication between everyone here today. Everybody came together as a team and we were able to quickly launch the boats and get on scene," said Adams.

"The leadership here at the station played a big part in today's cases, our command set us up for success," said Moberly.

Chief Petty Officer Jeremy McConnell, Station Hobucken's Officer in Charge, said he was extremely proud of the professionalism of and dedication that his crews showed on this evening's rescues.

"This was an extremely rare occurrence for us having to respond to two cases happening so closely together in such a short period of time. My crew's train together constanly for situations like this and I am extremely proud of how quickly they were able to adapt and respond today," said McConnell.

"Not everybody in the Coast Guard has the opportunity to save a life during their career. It's a great feeling knowing that my crew's were able to put all of their training to use and save six more today," said McConnell.