A 70 meter long barge being pushed by the 153 meter long towboat Fabico-3 sank on the Mittellandkanal between Seelze and Gummer, Germany.  The vessels were berthed at a quay when the barge sank with it’s cargo of 270 tons of slag.   The local fire department responded and placed an oil boom around the sunken vessel.  No reports of injuries.  The convoy of vessels were en route to the Dortmund-Ems Canal from Salzgitter.  The cause of the sinking was not reported.  The water police are conducting an investigation into the incident.