The Coast Guard has announced that the Chicago River remains open tonight between the Lake and Randolph Street Bridges, site of a sunken barge, while the owners of the barge continue to develop a salvage plan.
The river will also remain open Saturday at 9 a.m. for the scheduled bridge lift to allow recreational boaters to head inland with their vessels for winter layup.
Personnel from Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Chicago have coordinated waterways management controls over the Chicago River in response to a barge that broke free from its mooring Friday afternoon and sank in the Chicago River between the Lake and Randolph Street Bridges.
Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan was notified of the incident at about 1:15 p.m. The barge was loaded with 750 yards of clay dirt being used for the Chicago River project. There were no injuries and there are no reports of pollution.
A broadcast notice to mariners is being released by Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan over channel 16.
For more information, contact the Coast Guard Marie Safety Unit Duty Officer at 630-336-0281.