ALTRO DONNA

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Tug sank on Mississippi

The "Altro Donna" sank in the early morning of July 3, 2015, on the lower Mississippi River near New Orleans. The vessel struck a piling shortly after midnight and the crew attempted to dock at Marrero, a West Bank suburb of New Orleans. The three crew members owere able to get off the vessel and escaped injury. The tug was pushing eight empty barges downriver normally used to carry fuel or other hazardous materials. The barges did not sink and were secured. The "Altro Donna" was carrying 11,500 gallons of diesel fuel and 52 gallons of lubricant for its own use. As a result, a cleanup team was dispatched to the site as a precaution. There have been pockets of sheen around the area. The Coast Guard said it was unclear if the vessel had originally intended to dock at Marrero since crew members had not yet been interviewed. The river remained fully open, but the Coast Guard established a safety zone around the sunken vessel. An investigation was continuing.

Sunken vessel in Mississippi River will remain in place until later this week

A sunken vessel parked in the Mississippi River since Friday probably won't be removed until later this week, and officials still have not finalized how they will handle a large fuel tank on-board. The Altro Donna sunk near mile marker 100 after striking a piling shortly after midnight on Friday morning. Coast Guard crews and workers with ES&H, a marine emergency response company, have cordoned off the river around the site, but recovery of the vessel likely won't begin until sometime after Wednesday, said Petty Officer-Second Class Bill Colclough. The vessel was pushing eight empty barges when it struck the piling, but all of those barges were recovered. However, it also had a fuel tank with about 11,500 gallons of diesel fuel that is still on-board, Colclough said. He did not know if the fuel tank was for the vessel or was a separate tank that was being transported. http://www.nola.com/military/index.ssf/2012/04/sunken_vessel_in_mississippi_r_1.html

Towboat sinks near New Orleans

A towing vessel sank early Friday on the lower Mississippi River near New Orleans after hitting a piling, the Coast Guard said. The three crew members of the Altro Donna were able to get off the vessel and escaped injury, said Petty Officer Steve Lehman. The vessel was pushing eight empty barges downriver normally used to carry fuel or other hazardous materials. The barges did not sink and were secured. Lehman said the vessel was carrying 11,500 gallons of diesel fuel and 52 gallons of lubricant for its own use. As a result, a cleanup team was dispatched to the site as a precaution. “There have been pockets of sheen around the area. It could be just remnants from the ship sinking,” Lehman said. Lehman said the vessel struck a piling shortly after midnight and the crew attempted to dock at Marrero, a West Bank suburb of New Orleans. After that, the towboat sank, he said. Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2012/04/06/3867904/towboat-sinks-near-new-orleans.html#storylink=cpy