Salvage Operations for Barges to Begin Next Week
Salvage operations to recover two barges stranded in the Ohio River won’t begin before Monday, when high water recedes, the U.S. Coast Guard said, according to the Courier Journal. River Salvage Co. of Crescent, Pa., has been hired to secure the two barges that broke loose early Tuesday when cabling or a coupling snapped just after the tow had cleared McAlpine Locks. Two runaway barges were secured, but one remains partly submerged on the Indiana shore midway between the Sherman Minton and K & I bridges, and another is partly underwater and lodged at the McAlpine Dam. Both are out of the commercial channel and aren’t impeding river traffic. One of the stranded barge’s cargo of salt spilled in the river, while the other barge lost about 1,450 tons of liquid fertilizer.
Barge Partially Sinks
The AP has reported that a barge hauling 800,000 gallons of liquid asphalt that strayed from its tow has partially sunk to the river bottom, according to the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard said the barge doesn't seem in danger of breaking. The river current has pushed the 80-foot barge sideways against a railroad bridge near downtown Louisville. Nauert said the barge is believed to be stable. The barge was one of three that got away from their tow Thursday when a connecting cable broke or separated. Two of the barges were caught, but the third went over the McAlpine Dam spillway and eventually wedged against the bridge. Officials can't tell how much has leaked from the barge, but Nauert said there was no evidence of significant leaking. Barge owner Magnolia Marine Transportation Co.
