The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(ST. LOUIS) — The Coast Guard is responding to the report of a missing person and capsized vessel in the Upper Mississippi River on Monday.
Watch standers at Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River received the report Sunday at approximately 7:30 p.m of a capsized towing vessel at mile marker 173 on the Upper Mississippi River. Reports state three people were aboard the towboat and that two were rescued by the St. Louis Fire Department. The 61-foot towing vessel, Charlie Boy, has approximately 9,350 gallons of fuel and other oils on board.
Sector Upper Mississippi River issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and has closed the waterway from mile marker 165 to 178. There are no vessels in the queue at this time.
Coast Guard pollution responders are on scene conducting a shoreline search and have seen no signs of pollution.
The Ste. Genevieve Sheriff's Department is conducting the search for the missing person between miles 148 and 109.9. St. Louis Fire Department and Missouri State Water Patrol are aiding in the search. Currently air assets cannot be used due to hazardous weather conditions.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is also conducting a search in the St. Louis Harbor area and assisting with a survey boat to locate the sunken vessel.
Upon locating the vessel the owner will submit a salvage plan and remove the vessel from the waterway.
The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the incident.
PREVIOUS REPORT
(ST. LOUIS) — A crewmember aboard a towboat was missing Sunday night after the vessel struck a barge on the Mississippi River and sank, KSDK reported. The boat was pulled under the barge at about 1830 hours on the swollen river. The two other crewmembers were rescued by a nearby towboat.
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