Mustard Gas Eyed In Clam Boat Sickness

(WBZ-TV)  Did World War I-era mustard gas make the crew of a New Bedford clamming boat sick?

That's what investigators are trying to find out.

The crew of the E.S.S. Pursuit picked up at least 10 old military canisters as they were dragging the ocean floor clamming just south of Long Island Sunday.

New Bedford fisherman Kevin O'Sullivan and another crew member handled one of the canisters as they threw them back into the ocean.

It broke open and exposed a fisherman named Costa, causing blistering on his arm and leg.

"He experienced immediate pain," said O'Sullivan, who also had shortness of breath.

Both men were taken to the hospital, while two more crew members were transported Monday night when the vessel returned to New Bedford.

Now it's quarantined in the harbor.

"There's a 500-foot radius around that ship that no one can go to, except us," said Captain Kevin Morris of the Marine Strike Team.

"My eyes are quite sore; I wash my eyes every few minutes. There's burning on my face, cheeks and hands," said E.S.S. Pursuit captain Kieran Kelly, who has refused to leave the boat during the investigation.

While investigators have narrowed down the chemical agent, they've yet to officially identify it.

As a precaution, the Coast Guard has marked the area south of Long Island where the canisters were dumped.

O'Sullivan told WBZ the canisters had the date "1914" or "1918" on it.

Local Video from WBZ in Boston

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[clammer123]

My last comment had a name error should have been address to Kieran Kelly not Kevin sorry for the inconvience the irresponsible boat operator he should have advised the crew not to handle them.

[clammer123]

Kevin should have never put those canisters back in the ocean.He was aware of other boats that were working in the area ,he put there lives at risk, by not radio them and making them aware,and then calling the Coast Guard like the rules of the ocean are.He is a irresponsible boat operator

[porcine_aviator]

Uhhh, yeah...I'd like to see how "responsible" you'd operate do once you are nearly blinded and in excruciating pain from the most vicious of all chemical agents. I'd say the blame lies with the idiot government for dumping chemical munitions in a busy fishery.

[karek40]

From 1914 to 1918 there was a world war, 2/3 of the British men were killed. There were no green idiots around and our government dumped the canisters. In retrospect a bad decision, can't be changed, deal with it.

[karek40]

From 1914 to 1918 there was a world war and none of you green idiots around. They dumped it now deal with it.

[Chris_VA]

Judging from the results, it's too bad there were no "green idiots" then...rather than just militantly ignorant fools who'd dump poison in the ocean.

[porcine_aviator]

"From 1914 to 1918 there was a world war and none of you green idiots around"

Hmmm, so you've never heard of John Muir? It's not like there's a National Park named after him. It couldn't possibly be the case that you're the one who is the idiot, right? I mean, you're obviously so well informed and all.

[bajajohn1]

This guy here guessed right that it might be mustard gas. Seems like irresponsible people throughout history have been poisoning the oceans with vile trash and now chemicals and oil and other poisons from farming, etc.

[porcine_aviator]

The US government has disposed of THOUSANDS OF TONS OF NERVE AND MUSTARD AGENT BY DUMPING IN THE OCEAN. Oh, and there's an atomic bomb somewhere off the coast of the Bahamas.

[ToolMangler1]

I doubt that it's still there, Iran probably searched for and found it to use against Israel.

[wyodutch]

The federal government has always been the worst pollutor.
.
I was in the Coast Guard in the late 60's. I don't know how much garbage... piant cans... old electronic equipment... we tossed overboard out in the middle of Lake Superior when no civilian crafts were around to observe. Then we'd issue citations to civilians who did the same thing.

[erasmus111]

Oh great. Should I be notifying the Canadian government?

[gloww]

I'm happy they did think about what could of happen to them if the agent stayed on the boat with them!! I think they did the right thing kevins home with me now costas doing better and dave is well, an i'm proud of kieran for staying on the boat! calling these man irresponsible after all they been though is wrong!

[tsigili]

Disposal of such agents in the ocean, was very irresponsible.