PANAMA CITY, Fla. — The Coast Guard medevaced a diver, Saturday, seven miles south of St. Andrews Pass, Fla., in the Gulf of Mexico.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Mobile, Ala., received a report from Island Diver, a commercial dive boat, at 8:46 a.m., that a female diver was in need of a medical evacuation.

Coast Guard Station Panama City launched a 45-foot response boat and crew to the scene. The diver was transported to the Panama City Marina where emergency medical service personnel were awaiting. EMS transported the diver to Bay Medical Center in Panama City.

Her condition is unknown.

"The VHF-FM radio was a great source of communication for the Island Diver," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher Turner, a boatswain's mate with Coast Guard Station Panama City. "They were able to contact us quickly, which in turn resulted in a successful medevac."

HANNIBAL, Mo. - The Coast Guard reopened the Mississippi River, Friday, after dredging operations were completed.

The Army Corp of Engineers completed dredging operations at approximately 10:30 a.m., Friday, between mile markers 305.0 to 307.0 on the Mississippi River.

The river is open to all commercial and recreational traffic.

NEW ORLEANS - A light rainbow sheen was reported in the vicinity of the Vermillion oil platform by the crew of a Coast Guard helicopter following a Friday morning overflight. The residual sheen, about a hundred yards long by ten yards wide, is believed to be petroleum runoff caused by fire-fighting efforts.

Federal investigators from BOEM are on the platform to investigate, confirm the source of the sheen and verify that the flow of oil to the platform remains secured.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

Click here for a photo of the overflight.

NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Coast Guard and a commercial rescue helicopter transported 13 people from a rig after a nearby oil platform caught fire, Thursday, approximately 90 miles south of Vermillion Bay at 9:19 a.m.

Watchstanders at the Eighth Coast Guard District command center received a call from a pilot aboard a Bristow helicopter, stating that 13 people were in the water wearing immersion suits.

The crew of the Crystal Clear, an offshore supply vessel, safely pulled 13 people from the water near the platform and transferred them to a nearby rig.

Seven Coast Guard MH-65C rescue helicopters and crews from Coast Guard Air Stations New Orleans and Houston arrived on scene at approximately 11:30 a.m., and a commercial rescue helicopter, the Cougar, arrived on scene as well. Three of the Coast Guard helicopters and the Cougar transported all 13 people ashore to the Terrebonne General Medical Center in Houma, La., where none were reported to have sustained serious injury.

Mariner Energy, the owner of the platform, deployed three firefighting vessels to the scene and extinguished the fire. Coast Guard vessels and aircraft on scene saw no evidence of sheen or leaks, and Mariner Energy reported that the platform had been shut in.

Responders remain vigilant for any evidence of oil on the water, and Coast Guard vessels and aircraft will continue surveillance of the area. The Coast Guard is scheduled to conduct additional searches of the area at first light, Friday, to search for any evidence of sheen.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

PITTSBURGH — The Coast Guard is scheduled to set a safety zone along the Ohio River, Saturday and Sunday, in preparation for the Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta.

The safety zone will be from mile marker 90.3 to 91.0, near the 10th Street Wheeling Highway Bridge, and will be strictly enforced Saturday and Sunday from 9:15 a.m., to 12 p.m., and 1:30 p.m., to 6 p.m.

Mariners shall not enter into, depart from, or move within the safety zone unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Pittsburgh, or a designated representative. All concerned mariners can contact the Coast Guard on the day of the event on VHF-FM Channel 16. 

WHAT: The U.S. Coast Guard will hold a news briefing at the Hale Boggs Federal Building, Thursday, at 4 p.m., to provide information on the rescue of 13 people from an oil platform fire.

WHEN: 4 p.m. CDT, Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010 

WHERE: Hale Boggs Federal Building; Address: 500 Poydras St. New Orleans, La. 70130

WHO: Capt. Peter Troedsson, chief of staff for the Eighth Coast Guard District

**Members of the media should arrive 10 to 15 minutes prior to briefing commencement.**

NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to a report of 13 people in the water following an oil platform explosion in block 380 approximately 90 miles south of  Vermillion Bay, La., at about 9:19 a.m.

Watchstanders at the Eighth Coast Guard District command center received a report from a pilot aboard a Bristow helicopter at about 10:00 a.m., stating that 13 people were in the water near an oil platform on fire. All 13 people were wearing immersion suits.

The 13 people in the water were picked up by the OSV Crystal Clear and taken to another platform. Coast Guard helicopters are being utilized to transport the rescued to Terrebonne General Hospital.

Currently responding are:

Five MH-65C rescue helicopters and cres from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans;

Four MH-65C rescue helicopters and crews from Coast Guard Air Station Houston;

HC-144 Guardian aircraft from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala;

Coast Guard Cutters Decisive, Skipjack, Manta, Harry Claiborne;

Their conditions are unknown.

HANNIBAL, Mo. - The Coast Guard has closed a portion of the Mississippi River, Wednesday, for dredging operations.

The Army Corp of Engineers is conducting dredging operations between mile markers 305.0 to 307.0 on the Mississippi River. The river will be closed from 12 p.m., Wednesday, until 12 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010, to all commercial and recreational traffic.

An Urgent Marine Information Broadcast has been issued. Mariners needing to contact the Coast Guard can do so on VHF channel 16.

NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard rescued four people from a downed aircraft, Wednesday, 16 miles south of Terrebonne, La.

Rescued were Reid Aldrich of Nampa, Ind., David Portlock of Lafayette, La., Brian Meadows of Carencro, La., and John Howell of Cape Coral, Fla.

Watchstanders at the Eighth Coast Guard District received a report from an aircraft, via satellite phone, at 8:37 a.m., reporting that they had made an emergency landing in the water and were staying afloat using its emergency floatation devices, 16 miles south of Terrebonne, La., in the Gulf of Mexico.

Two people safely deployed and transferred to the aircraft's life raft, and two other remained with the aircraft to continue communication with rescue personnel. 

Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans launched two MH-65C rescue helicopters and crews to the scene at 9:17 a.m. Good Samaritan fishing vessel, Nhu-Uyen and motor vessel CAPT. Joel, safely rescued two people from the life raft and assisted in hoisting them into the rescue helicopter. The other two were safely hoisted from the aircraft into the rescue helicopter.

All were transported to Terrebonne General Medical Center in Houma, La.

Their conditions are unknown.

Click here for PHOTO1.

Click here for PHOTO2.

Video is available upon request.

BEARDSTOWN, Ill. - The Coast Guard has closed a portion of the Illinois River, Tuesday, for dredging operations.

The Army Corp of Engineers is conducting dredging operations between mile markers 87.6 to 88 on the Illinois River. The river will be closed from 6 p.m., Tuesday, until 6 p.m., Wednesday, to all commercial and recreational traffic.

An Urgent Marine Information Broadcast has been issued. Mariners needing to contact the Coast Guard can do so on VHF channel 16.

PETERSBURG, Ky. - The Coast Guard is searching for a man who reportedly went missing, Tuesday, while swimming in the Ohio River near mile marker 494.9.

Missing is Mike Fugat.

At about 2:30 p.m., Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley watchstanders received a missing persons report from Kentucky Emergency Management stating that Hewitt was last seen jumping overboard from a pleasure craft to go swimming in the Ohio River.

Currently searching are:

Coast Guard 25-foot response boat and crew from Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Cincinnati;

Petersburg, Ky., Fire Department;

Northern Kentucky Technical Rescue;

Boone County, Ohio Emergency;

Boone County, Ohio Water Rescue;

Boone County, Ohio Sheriff's Department;

Dearborn County, Ind., Water Rescue.

Also, an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast was issued to mariners in the area.

Anyone with information about the missing person should call the Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley command center at (502) 779-5422.

PETERSBURG, Ky. - The Coast Guard is searching for a man who reportedly went missing, Tuesday, while swimming in the Ohio River near mile marker 494.9.

Missing is Douglas A. Hewitt.

At about 2:30 p.m., Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley watchstanders received a missing persons report from Kentucky Emergency Management stating that Hewitt was last seen jumping overboard from a pleasure craft to go swimming in the Ohio River.

Currently searching are:

Coast Guard 25-foot response boat and crew from Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Cincinnati;

Petersburg, Ky., Fire Department;

Northern Kentucky Technical Rescue;

Boone County, Ohio Emergency;

Boone County, Ohio Water Rescue;

Boone County, Ohio Sheriff's Department;

Dearborn County, Ind., Water Rescue.

Also, an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast was issued to mariners in the area.

Anyone with information about the missing person should call the Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley command center at (502) 779-5422.