Dec. 30 (UPI) — Five people were rescued after a ship and a tug collided on the Mississippi River in Louisiana, according to multiple reports.
On Sunday, the tugboat Patrick J. Studdert and a ship known as the Clara B collided near the Hale Boggs Bridge at about 7:41 p.m. close to mile marker 123, where the tug sank in a part of the river roughly 90 feet deep, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The five unidentified individuals were taken to local hospitals after they made it to shore before rescuers arrived on scene. It’s unclear if any suffered injuries, WDSU reported.
“The St. Charles Parish Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is working with the United States Coast Guard, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office, and the vessel owner’s surveillance and cleanup contractors to respond and take the necessary steps to clean the incident scene,” St. Charles Parish officials said Monday, NOLA reported.
At the time, the National Weather Service had issued a dense fog advisory for the area where the crash occurred.
An investigation is ongoing and will look at possible environmental effects from the collision after diesel fuel leaked from the sunken tugboat after it crashed into the Liberian bulk carrier ship.
However, it’s unclear for now how much fuel spilled into the Mississippi River, according to St. Charles officials.
Officials say the Clara B will remain docked in the New Orleans region while the U.S. Coast Guard investigates.
A portion of the Mississippi had bee closed Sunday before reopening.
Meanwhile, crews were hoping to utilize drones to get a better idea of the damage to create a response plan.
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