MIAMI, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- A 270-foot barge that had been taking on water off Miami Beach for two days was sunk by salvage crews Wednesday, authorities said.
Officials decided to sink the barge Wednesday after salvage efforts since Monday afternoon failed, WSVN-TV, Miami, reported.
Titan Salvage Co. sank the ship 25 miles offshore.
The barge will not pollute the ocean, as the 33 containers it carried were empty, officials said.
"All the containers on board the barge are empty, and there is no other cargo on board, no fuel and no other products that they were transferring," U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Chris Glander said. "All that will be going to the bottom is metal."
Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Russell Tippets said the vessel would not obstruct passing ships or damage coral reefs.
"One of the reasons that we towed the vessel out where it is, is because it's in deep enough water that it's not going to affect any coral reefs and it's not going to affect any navigational lanes," Tippets said.
WPLG-TV, Miami, reported the barge was being towed by a tugboat from Haiti to Miami when the tugboat's crew told the Coast Guard it had become disabled because of fuel problems.
Amid 8-foot waves, the barge began taking on water, and a sea-towing company tried to pump it out before a Coast Guard cutter towed the barge and tug to deeper waters.
