Dredger Capsized on Ohio River
On the night of September 10, a dredger (name not disclosed) capsized on the Ohio River near Newell, West Virginia. Local fire fighters were alerted the following morning that a dredger had rolled over onto its side and partially sank. Fire fighters arrived on scene and found a light sheen of oil pollution around the overturned dredger. There were no crew on board the dredger.
Authorities stated they were uncertain how much pollution had been released into the river, but reports stated the vessel had over 1000 gallons of diesel fuel on board. Containment booms were placed around the vessel to limit the environmental impact. The United States Coast Guard along with West Virginian authorities has launched an investigation into the incident. The owner of the dredger has contracted with a private company to assist in the cleanup efforts.
