The Coast Guard has temporarily restricted vessel traffic to one-way on the Lower Mississippi River from mile markers 167-177 due to a towboat grounding.
At approximately 1 p.m. on Jan. 19, 2008, the towboat Senator Stennis struck the submerged wreckage of the 17th century replica of the French warship, Le Pelican that sank March, 2004, in Donaldsonville, La. The grounding caused a hole in three of the fuel tanks and spilled approximately 30-gallons of diesel fuel into the Mississippi River.
Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Baton Rouge is actively working with the vessel owner, Kirby Inland Marine, and all key stakeholders to quickly and safely resolve the situation.