Coast Guard responds after crane tips into water near Hilton Head bridges
The U.S. Coast Guard says there are no apparent injuries after a crane appeared to have tipped off a barge and fell into the intracoastal waterway near the Hilton Head Island bridges early Monday evening.
Authorities were not aware of any water rescues related to the incident, according to Petty Officer Lucas Michaels of the USCG. The agency’s environmental response team was investigating, Michaels said.
The UCSG was notified of the fallen crane around 5 p.m. Monday. As of 6:30 p.m., military personnel were contacting the company responsible for the crane “so they can take action and fix that error,” according to Michaels.
As of Monday evening, it was unclear what project the crane was related to. Kelly Moore, a spokesperson for the South Carolina Department of Transportation, said in an email the agency “(had) not been informed of any incident involving SCDOT personnel or an SCDOT project.”
Bridge construction
It’s not uncommon to see cranes on the water in the area of the Hilton Head bridges.
In March, workers on a barge began the process of geotechnical exploration — the act of examining the underwater soil and rocks beneath the Mackay Creek to ensure they’re strong enough to support the U.S. 278 bridge replacement project, according to previous Island Packet reporting. Their work included the use of a crane and was scheduled to last about six weeks, officials previously said.
This report will be updated as more information becomes available.
This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 7:52 PM.
