Galleries

Copyright and Permission to use:  All photographs contained in this Coast Guard Auxiliary historical photo gallery are the property of the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, National Department of Public Affairs, History Division or the federal government.  Permission is granted to copy a photo for use in a publication along with the credit line indicated.  A reference to this website is suggested.

Early in the patrol, their primary duties were to watch for unauthorized vessels in the channel and to escort the barge containing the recovery divers to the site of the collapse.

Next they linked up with the MSD patrol vessel to discuss the morning's patrol.

Additional coverage of the 35W bridge collapse.

From this close vantage point the crew could see the full scope of the bridge collapse.  View Minneapolis KSTP-TV's map of collapse scene.

In this next image, you can see photographer Jeff Dietz in the foreground with bridge carnage in the background.

Around 1015 hrs, unified command center contacted the Auxiliary vessel and requested that they pick-up the NTSB investigators and transport them to the flattened bridge deck in the middle of the river.  The Auxiliary vessel immediately proceeded to the pick-up location and brought the investigators on board and made sure everyone was outfitted with a PFD.

Commander Denny Sando, expertly maneuvered through the dangerous debris filled waters and safely docked his boat to the bridge deck.  After the crew secured the vessel, the NTSB officials disembarked.

In the following image you can see the facility and crew docked to the bridge deck.  This split screen image also shows the Auxiliary vessel as seen from the ABC affiliate helicopter.

The extent of the tragedy was especially dramatic from ground level.
 

"As I watched the live news coverage of this event on TV, I realized that media were not aware of the identity of the Auxiliary vessel or why the Coast Guard was on the river.  At that point I got on the phone and talked to the news directors at all three main media outlets and filled them in of both the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary's role on the recovery efforts.  The ABC affiliate KSTP-TV in Minneapolis was so interested in the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary role, that they created a news story based on our phone call that was aired during the 10:00 pm news." Robert Smekta, D-CR.

On the Minneapolis KSTP-TV website, you will see a video link as seen in the image below.  If you wait until the segment title scrolls to "Divers set to resume recovery effort Friday Morning" and Drought helps Army Corps Lower Mississippi river levels" you will see some positive press coverage of the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary's participation in this recovery effort.