Tugboat Partially Sinks On Kinnickinnic River Near Port Of Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE, WI — A 112-foot tugboat and barge partially sank in the Kinnickinnic River just before noon near the Port of Milwaukee, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a Monday news release.

The towing vessel, named Michigan, partially sank in around 26 feet of water after taking on water at its moorings, the USCG said. The vessel has a maximum potential of 40,000 gallons of oil and fuel but pollution responders confirmed that it is not actively polluting, according to the Coast Guard news release.

As a precaution, responders deployed 100 feet of hard boom with absorbent material.

“At this point in time, the Coast Guard’s focus is the marine environmental protection and the potential waterway impacts,” said Commander of Sector Lake Michigan Capt. Seth Parker in a release.

The owner of the vessel, U.S. Venture, has contracted a marine salvage organization to respond to the sunken tugboat, the coast guard said.