On July 9, the 48 meter long towboat Eric Haney sank on the Mississippi River near Cairo, Illinois. Reports state all 9 crew was able to evacuate safely when the vessel sank. The towboat had some 79,000 gallons of diesel fuel on board at the time of the sinking. Just after the sinking, a light sheen could be seen a short distance down river, but no further pollution was reported.

The Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit out of Paducah, Kentucky were dispatched to the scene to conduct an initial assessment. Authorities have deployed a boom around the vessel to contain any pollution that may be released. A salvage plan to pull the towboat out of the river is being worked on.

The Coast Guard has launched an investigation into the incident.