On December 29, 2025, the towboat Patrick J. Studdert sank in a collision with a Liberian-registered bulk carrier on the Lower Mississippi River near the Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. All five mariners on board were rescued from the water by nearby vessels and transferred to local emergency medical services. The bulk carrier Clara B docked upriver with all crewmembers safe.
Vessel traffic in the area was temporarily suspended but resumed after a few hours. The cause of the collision is currently under investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard. Following the incident, minimal pollution was observed in the area, with no recoverable product from the sunken vessel.
Captain Melanie Burnham of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans praised the quick and coordinated actions of all involved in the response efforts. The Coast Guard, along with local agencies, are working with the towboat owner’s contractors to clean up the site of the incident.
The Patrick J. Studdert is a 2,000-hp towboat built in 2012 and was operated by Sneed Shipbuilding in Channelview, Texas. The Coast Guard and other authorities will continue to assess the situation and work with the vessel company on recovery efforts.
Source
Photo credit www.workboat.com
