A barge being towed on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near Berwick was torn in two when the boat towing it ran aground Sunday and tried to break free, the U.S. Coast Guard reported.

BERWICK — The Coast Guard is responding to a report of a towing vessel that ran aground on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway at mile marker 99 near Berwick on Monday, according to a prepared statement from the Coast Guard.

Watchstanders at Vessel Traffic Service Berwick Bay received a report at approximately 10 p.m. Sunday that the towing vessel Miss Odessa, carrying six hopper barges filled with rock, ran aground.

The Miss Odessa was reportedly south-bound on the Atchafalaya River when it turned west onto the GICW and hit bottom. The Miss Odessa, in an attempt to break free, tore apart the barge, causing the barge to split in half.

Members from Marine Safety Unit-Morgan City’s marine inspections team and investigations team arrived on scene at 8:30 a.m. Monday to assess the incident. The response teams reported no damage to the Miss Odessa or the other five barges. No pollution has been reported in the area.

The Coast Guard secured all tow traffic in the location of the barge.

The vessel queue as of 2:30 p.m. Monday was 12 southbound, six westbound, 28 eastbound and four northbound.

The towing vessel company has hired a salvage company to assist the salvage of the barge. A Coast Guard salvage engineering response team is also assisting.