Safeen-Baroness

The downbound "Flag Gangos" carrying grain lost power and steering and struck the tanker "Pamisos" and the tank barge "Web 235" docked along the Mississippi River at river mile 97,4 near Gretna late on Aug 12, 2014. The Flag Gangos collided with the "Pamisos" and the barge "Web 235" both moored at the International Matex Tank Terminals conducting transfer operations. The crew of the tug "Capt. Shawn D. Martinez" was transferring number six fuel oil from the barge when the barge broke free causing some oil to be discharged into the river from the transfer hose. The hose was shut off immediately following the incident. Responders on scene deployed booms in the area of the incident. Both the "Pamisos" and the barge sustained damage, no injuries were reported. The Coast Guard Captain of the Port New Orleans has implemented one-way traffic in the vacinitiy of the International Matex Tank Terminals near Gretna. A Coast Guard Station New Orleans boatcrew and Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew were on scene to assist as needed. The tanker had been loading petroleum products at the International-Matex Tank Terminals when it was struck around 11 p.m. The U.S. Coast Guard was on the scene, along with Gretna police, Jefferson Parish Emergency Management and the Harvey Fire Department. The "Flag Gangos" which suffered a large hole in the bow was anchored in the middle of the river as of 12:30 on Aug 13. River traffic had been shut down as tugs came to secure the disabled vessels. The Gretna police inspected the city's water intake system and found that the water supply was safe. The river was closed to traffic from mile marker 96 to mile marker 98. Reports with photos: https://upload.facebook.com/FOX8NOLA/photos/a.107376284609.116156.107322144609/10152674484679610/?type=1 http://www.wdsu.com/news/local-news/new-orleans/official-two-ships-collide-in-mississippi-river-near-gretna-tanker-leaking-crude-oil/27449598 http://www.fox8live.com/story/26265989/ships-collide-near-gretna-span-of-river-traffic-closhttp://www.nola.com/traffic/index.ssf/2014/08/mississippi_river_traffic_rest.htmled