A tugboat hauling 4,000 gallons of diesel and 100 gallons of lube oil sank into the Mississippi River around 5:30 p.m. local time yesterday, officials said.

No one was on the boat at the time and no injuries were reported, said Petty Officer Alex Washington of the Coast Guard.

As of 9:50 p.m., the chemicals were contained and had not leaked into the water, Washington said.

Initial reports indicated the crew in charge of the GE Capital Commercial Inc.-owned tugboat Saint Paul was in the process of a shift change while "dewatering" the vessel's stern, Washington said. The pumps failed to rid the water from the stern fast enough and the vessel began to sink, he said. It was unclear why there was water in the stern in the first place.

Addressing the pollution issue is the top priority, Washington said. Once the chemicals are taken care of, the next step will be to lift the boat out of the water, which is the company's responsibility (Naomi Martin, New Orleans Times-Picayune, Jan. 18). -- JE