HOUSTON, Oct 22 (Reuters)– A sea and also air search was put on hold on Sunday for 2 staff participants that went missing out on after an oil barge ignited early Friday and also dripped an unknown quantity of the gas right into the Gulf of Mexico off Port Aransas, Texas, authorities stated.

There was no prompt resolution of what created the fire, which was snuffed out onFriday The look for the missing out on staff participants was stopped after it showed up no indicators of both, stated united state Coast Guard Petty Officer Edward Wargo.

Authorities are generating extra drifting booms to consist of oil around the barge, which is secured concerning 3 miles off Port Aransas, a Coast Guard representative stated. Earlier they disoblige 2,000 feet (609.6 meters) of control boom around the vessel.

Efforts were in progress on Sunday to secure 2 oil containers that were breached throughout the morning fire. Aerial pictures launched by the Coast Guard reveal an opening on the deck on the ship’s bow.

After the containers are secured, authorities are thinking about moving several of the oil to one more vessel and also pulling the barge to port.

“We are exploring several different ways” to relocate the barge, stated Brittany Eck, a spokesperson for the Texas General Land Office, which is participating in the feedback to the fire and also oil spill.

The barge, run by Bouchard Transportation Co, holds concerning 137,000 barrels of oil and also was headed to Corpus Christi, Texas, when the fire began. A Bouchard representative decreased to discuss initiatives to fix the containers.

The 2 containers that were subjected throughout the fire, which punctured the ship’s deck, hold concerning 20,000 barrels incorporated, Eck stated. (Reporting by Gary McWilliams; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)

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