The Singapore Flagged vessel, Hafnia Rhine spilled over 2000 gallons of fuel oil in the Mississippi River during a fueling operation, per the US Coast Guard.

The spill occurred at the Ama Anchorage, situated west of the Jefferson Parish Line and twenty miles from New Orleans. According to officials, the accident occurred on Thursday, at 6 pm.

The crew members of the ship succeeded in stopping the spill from spreading further however by that time, around 50 to 60 barges had been contaminated by the vast amount of oil released into the river.

Bystanders called the Coast Guard and oil spill removal organizations hurried to the scene for containing the hazard and assessing its environmental impact.

Per the Coast Guard, the National Response Co. and Environmental Safety and Health Consulting Services were called to tackle the spill.

According to officials, around 6000 feet of floating barriers, including a 2700 feet containment boom and 3200 feet sorbet boom have been put in place for containing the oil spill.

The impact on the nearby environment is still unclear. However, no significant harm was noticed to local marine life during mitigation efforts. Other agencies are analyzing the coastlines and inland water channels to fully comprehend the impact of the oil spill, said the officials.

The cause of the oil spill is yet to be determined.

Reference: NOLA