CONNEAUT, Ohio (Tribune News Service) — An investigation is ongoing into the barge that capsized in Conneaut Harbor on Dec. 23.

Coast Guard spokesperson William Kelley said the Coast Guard was notified at 2:07 p.m. on Dec. 23 that a barge carrying an excavator and tug boat had broken loose from its mooring at the Pittsburgh and Conneaut dock.

The barge capsized and floated down Conneaut Creek, he said.

"The barge was recovered, the tug has not yet been recovered," Kelley said. "They're still trying to find it, whether it's sunken, or free-floating somewhere in Lake Erie."

Both the tug and the barge had fuel onboard, but no spills have been reported as of yet, he said.

The owner of the barge is responsible for taking ownership of the barge and the tug, once the tug has been found, Kelley said.

"The Marine Safety Unit, Cleveland, they would investigate this as a reportable marine casualty, and perform a causal analysis and determine exactly what happened," Kelley said.

Investigations typically take a few weeks to a month, depending on the case, he said. The results of those investigations are typically not released to the public.

Any boater who sees the tug is encouraged to inform the Coast Guard immediately.

Kelley said the Coast Guard cannot say one way or the other whether the tug sank or has floated out into Lake Erie.

That investigation is in-process.

Kelley said the harbor is open, as far as he knows.

Canadian National, parent company of the Pittsburgh and Conneaut Dock company, declined to comment for this story.

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