A local tug and a foreign-registered bulk carrier collided in the Mississippi River on the evening (local time) of Sunday, December 29, near Mile Marker 123, just north of the Hale Boggs Bridge in Luling in St. Charles Parish in Louisiana, parish officials have confirmed.
All crewmembers of the tug Patrick J. Studdert abandoned ship and were evaluated at a local hospital. All crewmembers of the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Clara B were accounted for, and that vessel has since docked upriver, while the tug later sank in the river.
Parish officials have assured that there is no immediate threat that residents must act on.
Upon notification of the incident, the downstream water intake was closed to ensure drinking water remained safe to consume. Air and water surveys are taking place from the incident scene to Mile Marker 115 at the Parish Line to monitor quality.
The St Charles Parish Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is working with the US Coast Guard, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office, and the tug owner's surveillance and cleanup contractors to respond and take the necessary steps to clean the incident scene.