MER & Eason assist in Underwater Recovery

6.5.2015

Kiawah Harbor, Kiawah Island, SC - Moran Environmental Recovery (MER) along with their subsidiary Eason Diving & Marine Contractors (Eason), were dispatched on an Emergency Response project in Kiawah Island. Goodsdon Construction company was building a dyke wall across the sound in an attempt to ‘close’ the sound completely. This process is done every ten (10) years by closing one, and creating another to limit erosion in the area. The dyke collapsed, and a 40 ton back dump earth mover and a D7 Cat dozer fell into the water. MER’s emergency response team was dispatched along with a diving crew from Eason. 

MER and Eason worked seamlessly to ensure all safety measures were covered. Due to the site location being at the entrance of the sound certain obstacles were faced. The current was extremely swift producing heavy waves. They needed to anchor the boats before they could release the divers into the water. They ended up setting an anchor long enough to launch a diver into the water who then tied the boats off to the sunken equipment. Divers had to wear extra weights to keep from being swept away. MER boomed the area before operations began to control any oil leakage, and used the divers to pump out the diesel fuel and hydraulic oil tanks under water with the direction of the USCG. Fortunately, no oil was released and the operation was a success. MER returned later to assist the client while units were lifted from under the water using 1” cables.