270-foot barge takes on water off Miami Beach

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- Officials continue to work on moving a barge that is sinking in the waters just off Miami Beach.

The 270-foot barge has been taking on water since Monday afternoon. Wednesday morning, officials continued to work to try and salvage the barge.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, a tug boat towing the barge started experiencing fuel problems at one point and became disabled. "The tug boat became dead in the water, disabled and adrift, and then, the barge subsequently began taking on water," said U.S. Coast Guard Officer Nick Ameen.

The Coast Guard had to tow in the tug boat, leaving the barge with 33 empty containers out at sea.

"I don't know what they can do so that it's not polluting," said a concerned beach goer. "Oh, my gosh, like we need one more thing sinking."

"To us, that poses an environmental concern. Environmental protecting is a big mission for us down here in beautiful South Florida," said Ameen, "so dispatch crews are out there to help with the de-watering process and to ensure the safety of life at sea."

Master divers are trying to get out as much water as they can to stop the barge from sinking. Authorities say, if the barge does submerge, there will be no pollution to the sea. "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," said U.S. Coast Guard Commander Chris Glander. "So if it does sink, or in the case that the Coast Guard has to sink it as a hazardous navigation, then all that will be going to the bottom is metal."

The U.S Coast Guard is working with the company Tow U.S. to help salvage the barge.

The company is trying to get a 96-foot vessel out to the barge to serve as a platform so crews can place their equipment on it and work off of it.

(Copyright 2011 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)