The U.S. Coast Guard has closed a portion of the lower Mississippi River near Baton Rouge, Louisiana after a towing vessel sank Thursday.
Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received a report at 11:00 a.m. of the towing vessel Michelle Anne sinking at Baton Rouge General Anchorage near mile marker 226 on the Mississippi River.
The four crewmembers aboard the Michelle Ann escaped and were rescued by a nearby tug with no reported injuries.
A person on a nearby crewboat captured part of the incident on video:
From watching the video it appears the towing vessel became pinned against the anchored bulk carrier IOLCOS Unity.
A Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Baton Rouge incident management team deployed to the scene to look for signs of pollution. The Army Corps of Engineers is deploying survey teams to locate the sunken tug.
There is a waterway closure from mile marker 224.5 to mile marker 226 on the Mississippi River.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
