NATCHEZ, Miss. (WJTV) – The Coast Guard responded to a discharge of oil from a barge on the Mississippi River near Natchez.
Coast Guard officials said they were notified about the incident around 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 10 by Kirby Inland Marine.
Kirby Inland Marine reported a discharge from one of their barges being transported by the towing vessel Leviticus at mile marker 339 on the river.
Pollution responders from Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Vicksburg and Sector Lower Mississippi River were deployed to the scene.
According to the Coast Guard, the Leviticus crew secured the source of the discharge. They estimated that 3,402 gallons of product entered the water. They also said an additional 1,000 gallons were discharged but contained to the deck of the barge.
Officials said Kirby Inland Marine is currently working with two Oil Spill Removal Organizations (OSROs) to clean up the discharged product. One-thousand feet of hard and sorbent boom were deployed on Sunday, June 11 to contain the product in the water.
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Pictured is oil that was discharged into the water by a Kirby Inland Marine barge contained in a sorbent boom at mile marker 339 in the Lower Mississippi River, near Natchez, Mississippi, on June 11, 2023. Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River and Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Vicksburg pollution responders, Kirby Inland Marine personnel, and two oil spill removal organizations are assessing and removing oil product on the nearby shorelines and waterways. The cause of the oil discharge is under investigation. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Pekrul) -
Pictured is oil that was discharged into the water by a Kirby Inland Marine barge contained in hard and sorbent booms at mile marker 339 in the Lower Mississippi River, near Natchez, Mississippi, on June 11, 2023. Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River and Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Vicksburg pollution responders, Kirby Inland Marine personnel, and two oil spill removal organizations are assessing and removing oil product on the nearby shorelines and waterways. The cause of the oil discharge is under investigation. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Pekrul)
An estimated 800 gallons of oily water mixture has been recovered as of Monday, June 12.
“The Coast Guard is working diligently with Kirby Inland Marine and the OSROs to ensure a timely and effective cleanup to mitigate any environmental impacts,” said Capt. Ryan S. Rhodes, Commander of Sector Lower Mississippi River and Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the incident. “Responders from each organization are working tirelessly to assess and remove the product from the shoreline and waterway.”
There have been no reports of wildlife impact, and the cause of the discharge is still under investigation.