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Marine Safety Office New Orleans U.S. Coast Guard | |
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Press Release |
Date: Feb. 10, 2005 |
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COAST GUARD RESPONDS TO VESSEL COLLISION | |
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BATON ROUGE, La. - Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Baton Rouge personnel are responding to a collision that occurred today at about 9:25 a.m. on the Mississippi River at mile marker 179 near Donaldsonville, La. The collision involved the towing vessel CSS Arkansas, that was northbound and pushing seven barges, and the 737-foot Greek-flagged motor vessel Rodon Amarandon, also northbound and carrying pig iron. Following the collision the CSS Arkansas and one of the barges, loaded with coke, a non-hazardous substance, sank. All four crew members who were aboard the CSS Arkansas were rescued by good samaritans and transported to local hospitals as a precautionary measure. All other barges were safely recovered. Early assessments report minor damage to the Rodon Amarandon and a light sheen in the vicinity of the location where the CSS Arkansas sank. No pollution or injuries are reported from the Rodon Amarandon. The Rodon Amarandon became temporarily grounded and is now enroute to White Castle Anchorage at mile marker 188. Coast Guard personnel from MSU Baton Rouge are aboard the vessel surveying the damage and conducting an investigation. Investigators are also enroute to local hospitals to interview the crew of the CSS Arkansas. The Coast Guard has established a safety zone, closing the river to marine traffic, between mile markers 177 and 180 until the sunken vessels are located and verified they do not pose a hazard to navigation. The Coast Guard is working closely with the Army Corps of Engineers to survey the channel before the determination is made to reopen the channel to vessel traffic. The Coast Guard is conducting an investigation.
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