Barge capsizes near two shipping channels into Boston Harbor

The Coast Guard is urging mariners piloting ships into Boston Harbor to be extra careful this morning due to a barge that may have sunk somewhere near two of the main approaches into the port:

The Port of Boston remains open; however, mariners are advised to use extreme caution when transiting the area. The Coast Guard recommends no vessels transit the North or South Boston Main Channels until further notice.

The Coast Guard says the barge broke free Sunday morning:

The captain of tug boat Big Jake notified the Coast Guard at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Sunday that two of five barges they were towing had broken free and were adrift.

Crew members from Coast Guard Station Point Allerton and Coast Guard Cutter Key Largo responded to the scene along with the tug boats Smith Predator, Justice, and Kendall J. Hebert.

While Big Jake was being escorted to Hull two more barges broke free bringing the total number of adrift barges to four.

The three tug boats each located a barge and brought them to safe havens.

The fourth barge, which was carrying construction equipment, capsized and possibly sank two miles southeast of Nahant.

The Coast Guard adds State and Boston Police harbor crews are expected to go to the area this morning and use sonar in an attempt to locate the barge.