Americas News
Oil Spill After Multi Ship Collision on the Mississippi
A multi vessel collision in the Mississippi River, U.S., Monday resulted in an oil spill, local media reports.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) said that 420 U.S. gallons of oil spilt into the river while an additional 126 gallons is said to have spilt on deck of one of the vessels involved in the crash, the Bravo.
According to USCG, a 751-foot bulker, the Privocean, slipped its moorings and drifted down river, colliding with with a 98-foot towing vessel, the Texas.
Privocean continued to drift however, finally colliding with another vessel, 816-foot tanker Bravo while it was in the midst of unloading its cargo of oil.
According to the report, the oil spill has been contained and a clean up operation is underway.
The Privocean is said to be taking on water but is being kept afloat by two tugboats.
A nine mile stretch of the river has been closed between mile 154 and mile 163.
The USCG has advised local administrations to protect water supplies and an investigation into the causes of the crash is ongoing.
Last month, the Houston Ship Channel was closed following a collision and spill of gasoline additive methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE).
