Vessel runs aground, barge splits, jamming Intracoastal

Vessels were lining up to get through the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway on Monday afternoon after a towing vessel ran aground Sunday near Berwick, the U.S. Coast Guard in New Orleans said.

The Miss Odessa was reportedly transiting south-bound on the Atchafalaya River when it turned west onto the Intracoastal and hit bottom at mile marker 99 near Berwick, the Coast Guard said. The Miss Odessa, in an attempt to break free, tore apart the barge, causing the barge to split in half.

Watchstanders at Vessel Traffic Service Berwick Bay received a report at about 10 p.m. Sunday about the Miss Odessa, which was carrying six hopper barges filled with rock..

Members from Marine Safety Unit Morgan City’s marine inspections team and investigations team arrived on scene at 8:30 a.m. Monday to assess the incident. The response teams reported no damage to the Miss Odessa or other five barges. No pollution has been reported in the area.

The Coast Guard has secured all tow traffic in the location of the barge. The vessel queue as of 2:30 p.m. Monday was 12 southbound, six westbound, 28 eastbound and four northbound.

The towing vessel company has hired a salvage company to assist the salvage of the barge. A Coast Guard salvage engineering response team is also assisting.