Barge sinks in Lake Huron, spilling fuel
LAKEPORT, Mich. (AP) -- The U.S. Coast Guard says a 110-foot dredging barge sank in Lake Huron, spilling an unknown amount of diesel fuel.
Petty Officer Lauren Laughlin of the Coast Guard station in Cleveland tells The Associated Press the commercial barge was being pushed by a tugboat early Thursday when it went down in stormy waters about five nautical miles northwest of the entrance to the St. Clair River. The tugboat then flipped over.
Laughlin says all personnel from both vessels are accounted for.
She says there's a 500-foot sheen on the lake surface. The dredge can hold 8,000 gallons of fuel but at the time was carrying only 1,500. It's uncertain how much escaped.
Laughlin says booms are in place but inclement weather may hinder the cleanup.
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