Tow vessel sinks near Lafitte

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard responded to a sunken vessel in the Intracoastal Waterway near Lafitte, La., in the morning of May 2. CG Sector New Orleans received notification at 6:45 a.m. of the towing vessel Cindy R, pushing six barges and with three crewmembers aboard, sinking at mile marker 8, west of the Harvey Lock. The crew boarded the towing vessel Elin Gertrude before the Cindy R sank. There were no reported injuries. Elin Gertrude picked up the Cindy R’s tow. Cindy R has about 3,000 gallons of diesel aboard. OMI deployed an absorbent boom around the vessel to mitigate the spread of oil. A crane was en route to commence salvage operations. The waterway is open. The cause of the incident is under investigation. (Source: Coast Guard 095/02/19)