Update: CG suspends search for trio

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard and local agencies responded to a report of two towing vessels that collided on the Mississippi River in the early morning of Jan. 26 at mile marker 123, near Luling, La. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report at 5:37 a.m. that the towing vessel RC Creppel and Cooperative Spirit collided and that three of four members of the RC Creppel are missing. The Cooperative Spirit was reportedly transiting up bound on the river when it entered a barge fleeting area and allied with barges before colliding with the towing vessel RC Creppel. The collision caused the RC Creppel to sink and barges to breakaway. The CG launched a 29-foot Response Boat-Small boat/crew and an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter. One of the people in the water was recovered by a Good Samaritan. The search and rescue (SAR) for the other three is ongoing. The RC Creppel was pushing two barges carrying sulfuric acid. One of these barges was damaged in the incident and reportedly released an unknown amount of vapor into the air. The source of the release is secured. A safety zone - from mile marker 121 to 123 - has been issued and traffic is closed to vessels in that area. “This is a complex response that has a search-and-rescue component, as well as a pollution component that will require planning and coordination to execute," said Capt. Kristi Luttrell, commanding officer of Sector New Orleans. The Center of Toxicology and Environmental Health has been contracted for air monitoring. (The CG was to hold a media conference on the subject around 3:30 p.m. Sunday. More to come. (Coast Guard 01/26/20) UPDATE: The CG suspended its search for the three missing mariners on Jan. 27. CG crews searched over 835 nautical miles for about 67 hours. Air monitoring is ongoing. The air in the immediate vicinity of the affected barge has been cleared of any traces of sulfuric acid. There are no immediate health concerns in the surrounding communities. The Mississippi River opened last night at 9:30 p.m. This area is still subject to restrictions put in place by CG Sector New Orleans’ Vessel Traffic Service. McKinney Salvage of Baton Rouge has been contracted to carry out salvage operations on the affected barge. Air monitoring will continue until salvage operations are complete. (Source: CG 01/27/20)