By Associated Press
Mobile, AL – The Coast Guard says a towing vessel broke down and became partially flooded at the stern while pushing two barges in the Intracoastal Waterway near the Alabama-Mississippi border.
A Coast Guard crew helped the owners of the towing vessel Capt. Jerry Orgeron to safely salvage the vessel Tuesday. Repair operations are expected to begin Wednesday near Dauphin Island.
The vessel was pushing two barges carrying 44,000 barrels of crude condensate, but Coast Guard officials reported no barge leaks. An oil containment boom was placed around the disabled vessel as a precaution.
An assist tug, the Bethesda, arrived on scene and took the disabled vessel and the barges in tow towards Dauphin Island.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)