Kulluk 'safely' in Kiliuda Bay

Kulluk refloated: Tow operation went off without 'major obstacles'

USCG

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Kathrine Schmidt

 07 January 2013 20:15 GMT

Shouts of jubilation and relief rang out amid responders and technical crews Sunday night after a towing vessel eased the grounded Kulluk oil rig off a rocky surface of an Alaska island, officials told reporters Monday morning.

The Kulluk, refloated just after 11 pm local time with no indications of pollution detected as yet, arrived just after 11 am local time in a safe harbour port in Kiliuda Bay, where the rig's next steps will be considered, officials said.

The trip of roughly 30 miles from the grounding site off the uninhabited Sitkalidak Island was completed "without major obstacles", Sean Churchfield, operations manager for Shell Alaska, told journalists in a teleconference news briefing.

The rig, grounded a week ago after a failed tow operation in poor weather, was attached to…

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