Coast Guard responds to capsized vessel

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 03/17/2018 12:29 PM EDT

united states coast guard

News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland
Contact: 8th District Public Affairs
Office: (504) 671-2020
After Hours: (618) 225-9008
Eighth District online newsroom

March 17, 2018

Coast Guard responds to capsized vessel

NEW ORELANS – The Coast Guard is responding to a capsized vessel on the Lower Mississippi River near Donaldsonville, Louisiana, Saturday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report at 9:30 p.m. that the towing vessel Vincent J Eymard capsized near mile marker 175 on the Lower Mississippi River.

The crew departed the vessel onto the towing vessel Ellysa with no reported injuries.

The Ellysa also took the one empty barge the Vincent J Eymard was towing.

The Coast Guard issued a waterway closure from mile marker 177 to 173 on the river.

The capsized vessel has approximately 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel onboard.

There are no reports of pollution or environmental impacts due to the incident.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

-USCG-