Clam boat pulls up canisters off NY, crew sickened

[June 08, 2010]  BOSTON (AP) -- The U.S. Coast Guard says a Massachusetts-based fishing boat dredging for clams off New York has pulled up 10 canisters, including one that broke open and caused two crew members to experience blistering and difficulty breathing.

The Coast Guard says the two crew members from the ESS Pursuit were taken to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford, Mass. One has been transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital, and the other has been released.

The Coast Guard says it was not immediately clear what chemical was involved, but authorities were investigating. The agency issued a rare order to the vessel to return to the New Bedford port Monday. The canisters were dropped back into the ocean.

Officials are working to decontaminate the vessel and its four other crew members and to clearly mark the area south of Long Island where the containers were found.

[Associated Press; By RODRIQUE NGOWI]

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