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Coast Guard rescue crews assisted 12 people who were forced to abandon the 195-foot cargo vessel Bonnie G on the morning of Oct. 4, 2023.

The vessel had started taking on water and ran aground half a mile south of the local airport in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Coast Guard is investigating the incident, assessing the pollution threat from the Bonnie G, and coordinating with the vessel owner and local authorities to remove the pollution threat as quickly and safely as possible.