Oil Spill Closes Intracoastal Waterway

The Intracoastal Waterway has been closed for six miles west of Lake Charles, La., due to an oil spill today initially estimated at 700 gallons. A watchstander at Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur received a call from Kirby Inland Marine reporting fuel from one of their tugs had overflowed into the ICW. The tug was transferring fuel from its fuel tank to its day tank while moving along the ICW when the spill occured. The area from mile marker 257 to mile marker 263 has been closed to all maritime traffic. Crews from MSU Port Arthur are in the process of locating the leading edges of the spill, and Coast Guard Air Station Houston crews launched an HH-65C helicopter to fly over the spill. Pollution Investigators from MSU Port Arthur are on scene.