Barge crashes on Columbia River

A barge being transported by tugboat early this morning crashed in the Columbia River near the Bonneville Dam.

The incident was reported about 2:10 a.m., when the crew of the Tidewater tug, Hurricane, was transporting three barges. One of the barges struck the river floor about 200 feet from the Bonneville Dam lock. The tugboat hauling the three barges continued on to the dam, where the crew examined the barge, according to a U.S. Coast Guard bulletin.

An incident management team was sent to the crash site to check for pollution and determine a cause. In addition, the Army Corps of Engineers responded to prevent fuel from leaving the lock chamber.

A sheen was discovered, but wasn't related to the crash, according to the bulletin. A cause wasn't known.