CATLETTSBURG — A tow boat that sank early Thursday morning in the Big Sandy River south of Catlettsburg does not pose a threat to navigation, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Coast Guard officials say they have also contained an oil spill associated with the incident.
Gate City River Transportation owns the vessel Trojan, which they confirmed sank early Thursday in a fleeting area near mile marker 7.
One of the company’s owners, David Smith, of Catlettsburg, spoke with The Independent by telephone Thursday night while in Tennessee en route back to the area. He said he had “no details” about what caused the Trojan to sink. He said it was his understanding the tow sank sometime before 6 a.m.
Smith said the Trojan had not been in operation for more than a year and was tied up on the Kentucky side of the river. Smith said the vessel is approximately 100 feet long and 22 feet wide. He was uncertain of its age.
“We’ve got surveyors on the scene that are assessing the situation and we’ll compile a salvage plan,” he said.
Dustin Fitzgerald, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman with the agency’s District 8 office in New Orleans, confirmed the agency was on the scene and working with the company to contain the spill and salvage the vessel.
“It’s a pretty minor case at this point,” said Fitzgerald. He said 500 gallons of lube oil were reported to have been on the Trojan when it sank.
Only a small amount is believed to have been spilled, creating a “small sheen” on the river, he said. Containment booms and absorbent materials have been placed around the vessel to contain any additional oil that may spill from the Trojan, Fitzgerald said.
Weavertown Environmental Group, an environmental response contractor, is also on scene and is assisting in cleanup efforts.
No one was on board when the Trojan sank and there were no reported injuries.
Gate City River Transportation operates six vessels on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and their tributaries.
CARRIE STAMBAUGH can be reached at cstambaugh@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.
Local News
Tow boat sinks in Big Sandy River
Vessel out of service, not in navigation channel
- Local News
-
-
Man has cellphone stolen by woman soliciting sex
A man reported Tuesday his cell phone was stolen by a woman who got into his vehicle and solicited sexual favors for money.
-
Kentucky Teleworks looking for workers
Kentucky Teleworks will soon be screening eastern Kentucky applicants for several jobs where they can work at home for two companies that are global leaders in the telework industry.
-
Carter sets June 5 for 2nd reading
Carter Fiscal Court will have a special meeting on June 5 at the Carter Fiscal Courtroom, room 201, in the Carter County Courthouse.
-
Tempers flare in Carter County
Angry voices called out from a standing-room-only audience during the Carter County Fiscal Court meeting Tuesday as elected officials proceeded with plans for a proposed regional jail.
-
18 from area died in dinner club fire
Eighteen members of Ashland’s Roadrunners Club were killed in the third-worst nightclub fire in U.S. history on May 28, 1977. In total, 165 revelers died in the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire just across the river from Cincinnati.
-
The long ride home
Adventure, says Ryan Curry, is in his blood.
- News in brief, 5/30/12
-
2 recipes revealed in Sanders autobiography
Want to cook like the Colonel?
-
Vet picnic will be Saturday
Tri-State veterans are invited to a free outing on Saturday.
-
‘Building Doctors’ will make rounds in Portsmouth June 14,15
Main Street Portsmouth, TSHD Architects and the Ohio Historic Preservation Office of the Ohio Historical Society will sponsor a Building Doctor Clinic for old-building owners in the Portsmouth area June 14 and 15.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Man has cellphone stolen by woman soliciting sex
No Limits for Disabled Hunters at Mich. Base
Victim Identified in Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Radioactive Bluefin Tuna Crossed the Pacific
90 Guns Seized, Dozens Arrested in Oakland
Raw Video: Hail Storm Batters Oklahoma City
6-Year-Old Going to National Spelling Bee
California's Foie Gras Ban About to Begin
Video Essay: Funky Winkerbean Comic Turns 40
Hurricane Andrew Remembered, 20 Years Later
Judge's Ruling Halts Tenn. Mosque Construction
Romney in Las Vegas on Texas Primary Day
Sister Says She Reported Brother in Patz Killing
Even Fla. Police Shocked by Face-Mauling Attack
Angry Birds Spreading Their Wings
