By AP/St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis – State environmental officials and the U-S Coast Guard are investigating the sinking of a tugboat on the Mississippi River.
Workers at the scene of the sinking, near St. Louis, reported seeing a sheen of oil on the river. The tugboat was carrying about 8,700 gallons of diesel fuel when it ran aground and sank.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has notified public drinking water sources downstream of the sinking, and set boom around the sheen. There were no reports of injuries. The Coast Guard will determine the cause of the accident, which occurred around 4:30pm Wednesday.
The boat, the MV Bill Pehler, is owned by American River Transportation Co., a company affiliated with agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland.