Plans are underway for a response mission to salvage a dredge barge that sank in a collision with a tugboat on Lake Huron. The accident occurred last Thursday when the 110 foot long barge smashed into the 38 foot long tugboat, causing damage to the hull that later lead to the sinking of the ship. The tugboat capsized due to the impact but has already been removed from the scene.
The United States Coast Guard is hoping to recover the sunken barge this week and is formulating a response plan for the mission. There has been an oil leak from the vessel which has created an oil sheen extending more than 500 feet from the scene of the incident. Authorities report that the oil spill has been contained however, and is no longer spreading. Environmental damage from the spill is expected to be minimal.
The Coast Guard made use of close to 1500 feet of boom barrier in order to prevent the spread of oil from the site of the accident. Following regulations laid out for any oil spill of this nature, the EPA and Department of Environmental Quality have been notified of the incident and are expected to assess the situation in the next few days.
The exact cause of the accident and the circumstances surrounding the collision are as yet unknown. Both vessels were however owned by the same company, raising some suspicions about the incident. The Coast Guard is launching a full investigation in an attempt to discover the reason for the smash. It is unclear as to whether the dredge was being towed by the tugboat at the time of the collision.
Fortunately there were no injuries reported as a result of the accident, and all crew members have been safely rescued from the vessels.
In accidents such as this one, it is the crew members on board the capsizing vessel that are most at risk of death or serious injury. As smaller boats such as tugboats capsize more quickly than larger ships, crew members may not have adequate time to escape. The dredge barge may not even have had crew on board if it was being towed by the tugboat.
Crew on tugboats are at high risk of accidents occurring at sea, as tugboats are often used in rescue operations to tow vessels of a much larger size, often in dangerous water conditions. Tugboat workers may therefore be in need of legal assistance in the case of wrongful injury while working.
