On April 15, the tugboatTodd Michael went aground on Lake Pontchartrain off New Orleans, Louisiana. The tug was towing a barge when it ran onto the rocks near the shoreline. The Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter to the scene. The 2 crew on the Todd Michael were lifted to safety. The one crewman on board the barge was rescued by another vessel. No reports of injuries.
The 47 foot long tugboat Shanon E. Settoon pushing a 154 foot oil barge allided with a pipline in Bayou Perot near New Orleans, Louisiana. The tug and barge had veered out of the navigation lane into shallow water and struck the liquified gas pipeline resulting in an explosion and fire. The barge’s 2,200 barrels of crude oil caught fire. The four men on board the Shanon E. Settoon were able to safely rescued. All four men were taken to a local hospital where one crewman was treated for burns while another another treated for head trauma. The Coast Guard responded to the scene placing containment booms around the vessels. Officials shut off the pipeline and allowed some time to the fire to burn out. A Coast Guard investigation into the incident has been launched.
The 30 meter long tugboat Justice suffered a leak and sank in the Mississippi River near New Orleans, Louisiana. The three crew on board were unable to control the water ingress and had to abandoned ship. The tug sank with 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel on board leaving a small sheen on the water. No reports of injuries. Divers were able to plug fuel vents to prevent any further pollution being released.