Towing Vessel Sinks in Louisiana

A sunken towing vessel has reportedly discharged oil and is blocking the channel in Pass a Loutre near Venice, La., the U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday.

The Coast Guard said it is responding to the incident after having received a report around 2 a.m. Monday that the towing vessel Dejeanne Maria had struck a submerged object and began sinking while pushing two empty dry cargo barges downbound on the Mississippi River.

The three people who were aboard the Dejeanne Maria at the time transferred to the towing vessel Supporter 1.

The Dejeanne Maria is submerged with its port side above the water. There is a maximum potential of 7,000 gallons of oil on board with a reported 60 gallons having entered the water.

Sector New Orleans incident management team mobilized to conduct a shoreline assessment. ES&H was contracted to respond and deployed boom around the sunken vessel. An ES&H air drone and Coast Guard overflight observed no active discharge of oil.

An assist tug has been deployed to retrieve the barges.