Bunker Spill on Lake Huron

The vessels remain partially submerged in 22 feet of water

Two MCM Marine owned vessels, the 110-foot dredging barge boat Arthur J. and the 38-foot tugboat Madison, sunk in Lake Huron Thursday and are leaking bunkers, the U.S. Coast Guard has said.

There were no injuries reported in the incident which took place at 4:35 a.m. on July 19, 2012.

The vessels remain partially submerged in 22 feet of water and despite a 100-yard safety zone having been established, commercial shipping is unaffected as they are sufficiently outside the shipping channel.

MCM Marine said there was 300 gallons and 1,500 gallons of diesel aboard the tug and dredge respectively, with initial reports of a "500-foot diesel sheen" later revised to one mile by two miles.

The U.S. Coast Guard released pictures saying the spill had reached the shoreline at Lakeport State Beach.

Some 1,400-feet of oil containment boom have been placed in an effort to contain the spill.

The accident occurred five nautical miles north-northwest of the entrance to the St. Clair River, one nautical mile from the Michigan shoreline and four nautical from Canadian waters.

The Coast Guard said the cleanup crews were experiencing some delays due to on-scene weather, reported as 2- to 4-foot seas, 15- to 20-knot winds, and heavy rain.

"The Coast Guard will continue to ensure the safety of responders and the public," said Lt. Justin Westmiller, public affairs officer at Coast Guard Sector Detroit. 

"Our other objectives are to initiate any appropriate actions to control the source and minimise further release, assess the trajectory of any hazardous materials in the water and identify any sensitive areas that need protecting, and keep the public informed as best we can," he added.

The cause of the accident is unknown, and the Coast Guard is investigating.