Burmah Agate
The M/T Burmah Agate was an oil tanker that was involved in an oil spill near Galveston, Texas in 1979.
On the morning of November 1, 1979, the Burmah Agate, inbound to Galveston Bay with a full load of fuel, collided with the outbound freighter Mimosa just outside the entrance to the Galveston Bay Entrance Channel. The Mimosa struck the Burmah Agate on its starboard side, tearing an 8 by 15-foot hole near Cargo Tank No. 5, and setting off an explosion that ignited the leaking oil. The tanker foundered, while the freighter remained under way, slowly circling about a dropped anchor.
The U.S. Coast Guard dispatched the Cutter Valiant to begin search and rescue operations, lifting men off the ships using helicopters. By 12:30, all 26 crew members of the Mimosa had been accounted for, but only 6 of the Burmah Agate's 37 crew had been found. Unable to shut off the Mimosa's engines due to the fires, the rescuers eventually fouled its propeller.
The fire aboard the Burmah Agate burned until January 8, 1980. An estimated 2.6 million gallons of oil were released into the environment, with another 7.8 million gallons consumed by the fire. Cleanup operations lasted until late December. The Burmah Agate was towed to Brownsville, Texas on February 1 for scrapping.
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