Update: Coast Guard responds to sunken vessel

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 18, 2018

Update: Coast Guard responds to sunken vessel

NEW ORELANS – The Coast Guard is continuing its response to a sunken vessel on the Lower Mississippi River near Donaldsonville, Louisiana, Sunday.

The towing vessel, Vincent J. Eymard, has been located at mile marker 176.4 on the Lower Mississippi River.

The waterway closure from mile marker 177 to 173 has been lifted.

A waterway restriction has been issued from mile marker 175.9 to mile marker 176.9 requiring one-way traffic.

The Coast Guard has used the Louisiana Waterways Warning Network to notify cities and parishes that have water intakes below the location on the Lower Mississippi River of the incident so they can be aware of the situation.

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 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-