Oil tanker-fuel barge crash investigated

NEW ORLEANS, July 23 (UPI) -- U.S. officials say they have sent a team to investigate a crash involving an oil tanker and a fuel barge on the Mississippi River close to New Orleans.

A Liberian-flagged oil tanker hit a U.S.-flagged fuel barge on the Mississippi River outside downtown New Orleans, a National Transportation Safety Board news release said Wednesday.

Officials said about 375,000 gallons of oil were released from the barge into surrounding waters.

Part of the barge remained underwater after the collision and it was being stabilized by tugboats, the release said. Authorities said there was no damage to the oil tanker.

No injuries were reported.

The release said NTSB Marine Safety Investigator Tom Roth-Roffy was chosen to head up a team of six officials in the investigation.