A crane barge broke free of its mooring Monday morning and sank on the Mississippi River near Convent, La.
The barge, whose owner was not identified, could contain as much as 8,000 gallons of diesel fuel. It was carrying an excavator crane and a backhoe when it sank near mile marker 160.
A Coast Guard spokesman told the Baton Rouge Advocate that some oil was released from the barge, but that it had been contained by a boom. According to the Coast Guard, the sunken barge is not in the navigable waterway and does not affect ship traffic.
The Coast Guard is working with ES&H, an environmental consulting and emergency management company, to address hazards posed by the fuel aboard the barge when it sank. The Coast Guard is also working with McKinney Towing & Salvage to develop a plan for salvage operations.
No injuries were reported and the Coast Guard is investigating the incident.
