USCG Searching for 2 Trapped Under Sunken Barge
The Coast Guard, along with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Mississippi County, Ark. Sheriff's Department, are searching for two people in the water near a sunken barge in Hickman Landing Wednesday. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River received a report at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday that two people became trapped beneath a barge that flipped and sank in the Mississippi River. Sector Lower Mississippi River directed the launch of a 25-foot Response Boat — Small boatcrew to search for the two men along with joint agency boatcrews. The Mississippi River is closed from mile marker 815 to mile marker 825 to aid in the search efforts. “This reminds us of the dangers mariners face while working on the river,” said Capt.
Mississippi River Reopens to Towboat Traffic
The Coast Guard has reopened the Mississippi River for both-way traffic following the oil spill near Vicksburg. The Captain of the Port has reduced the safety zone to one mile centered on either side of the two barges with no passing or overtaking within the zone. “The Coast Guard is no longer actively managing the flow of towboat traffic and we are minimizing the safety zone to a one-mile distance to ensure the safety of response crews still working on the MOC-12 barge,” said Capt. William Drelling, Federal On Scene Commander for the Vicksburg oil spill. The light crude oil product in the tank barges MOC-12 and MOC-15 was effectively removed to complete damage assessments and temporary repairs to prepare them for transit to a waiting marine facility.
Lower Mississippi Oil Spill Update
The unified command continues response to a crude oil spill near mile marker 436 in Vicksburg, Miss. The tow-barge that is on scene has started removing fuel from the damaged barge MOC-12, which will be inspected and prepared for transit to a maritime facility nearby Vicksburg after oil removal operations are complete. “Despite the response crew efforts to contain the seeping oil, an unspecified amount has broken through the containment boom due to the difficulties of working on a dynamic and powerful river current,” said Capt. William Drelling, Federal On Scene Commander for the Vicksburg oil spill. Response crews have deployed 2,800-feet of boom to contain further oil release. Skimming vessels have recovered approximately 3,900 gallons of oil-water mixture since the incident occurred.
Barge Allision in Mississippi River Causes Spill
Coast Guard responds to report of crude oil in Mississippi River. A unified command has been established in response to a report of crude oil in the lower Mississippi River near mile marker 434 in Vicksburg, Miss., Sunday. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River received notification at 1:30 a.m., reporting that two tank barges, towed by the tug Nature's Way Endeavor, allided with the Vicksburg Railroad river bridge. Both of the tank barges were loaded with crude oil; both of the barges were damaged, and one has released oil into lower Mississippi River. The actual amount of product released into the lower Mississippi River has not yet been determined.
