NAHANT, MASS. (WHDH) - The U.S. Coast Guard is warning mariners to use caution and avoid the North and South Boston Main Channels after a barge carrying construction equipment capsized and possibly sank Sunday night about two miles southeast of Nahant.
The captain of the tug boat Big Jake called for help around 9:30 a.m. to let the coast guard know that two of the five barges he was towing had broken free and were adrift. In additional to the coast guard, tug boats Smith Predator, Justice, and Kendall J. Hebert.
As the Big Jake was being escorted to Hull, two more barges broke free, bringing the total number of adrift barges to four.
Each of the three tug boats located a barge and brought them to safe havens.
The fourth barge, which was carrying construction equipment that held a maximum of 500 gallons of diesel fuel and 400 gallons of hydraulic oil, capsized and possibly sank two miles southeast of Nahant.
The Massachusetts State Police and Boston Harbor Pilots are scheduled to use sonar Monday to search for the barge.
The Coast Guard recommends no vessels transit the North or South Boston Main Channels until further notice.
Mariners are urged to report any sighting of the barge or debris to the Coast Guard Sector Boston command center at 617-223-3201.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)