A collision involving a barge near New Orleans that caused a crude oil spill has shut down parts of the Mississippi River on Monday, the Associated Press reported.
The accident occurred on Saturday when a barge being pushed by the Hannah C. Settoon tugboat collided with another tugboat, the Lindsay Ann Erickson, which was pushing grain barges. The collision was 47 miles west of New Orleans, near Vacherie, Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Colclough told the AP.
Investigators are currently estimating how much oil was spilled. Officials said there was only a light sheen on the river after the collision, the AP reported. There were no injuries.
The river closures, spanning 65 miles, include the Port of New Orleans and have prevented a total of 26 vessels from crossing the river in both directions as of Sunday night. Officials closed the Mississippi in order to prevent contaminating the boats and to stop oil being carried down the river.
Colclough told the AP he is unsure when the river will be reopened. There are 16 vessels waiting to travel downriver, while 10 are waiting to continue upriver.
Consumption of public drinking water on the river near St. Charles Parish was also halted as a precaution. Parish officials said the water was fine as of Sunday afternoon.
"The water supply in St. Charles Parish remains safe," parish officials said in a press release obtained by the AP.
The damaged barge's oil was pumped into another barge by Sunday morning.
The extent of the damage on the Lindsay Ann Erickson, a 186-feet vessel built in 1982 and owned by Texas based General Electric Capital Corp, is not yet known. The other tugboat, the Hannah C. Settoon, was built in 2010 and is owned by Settoon Towing LLC in Louisiana, the AP reported.
