Unified Command lifts sunken towing vessel

A Unified Command yesterday lifted the sunken towing vessel Eric Haney at mile marker 9.7 on the Upper Mississippi River near Cairo, Illinois, Monday.

The Unified Command consists of the Coast Guard, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and Tennessee Valley Towing.

A total of 1,700 feet of hard boom was deployed around the towing vessel and the oil spill response organization has replaced sorbent boom as necessary to mitigate pollution. Water and shoreline assessments were conducted and no signs of pollution were observed.

Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Paducah, KY, watchstanders were notified at approximately midnight July 9, 2017, of the towing vessel Eric Haney sinking on the right descending bank in the Upper Mississippi River. The vessel had approximately 79,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 1,600 gallons of lube oil onboard.

There were nine people aboard the towing vessel who evacuated the ship before it sank. There were no reports of injuries.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Giles, U.S. Coast Guard District 8