UPDATE — 7:00 a.m. October 27th, 2015 (EDT)

Crews are still investigating reports of an unknown substance leaking from the site of a sunken barge in Lake Erie that resulted in the establishment of a thousand-foot wide safety zone by the U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday.

Coast Guard officials say investigations by boat and flyover on Monday did not reveal any discoloration or odor in the water. Data from an additional NOAA flyover are still being analyzed. The salvage crew contracted to help with the effort is planning to do a dive at daybreak Tuesday morning in hopes of identifying and securing any leak.


CLEVELAND, Ohio — An unknown substance leaking from the site of a sunken barge in Lake Erie resulted in the establishment of a thousand-foot wide safety zone by the U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday.

Coast Guard officials say divers from the Cleveland Underwater Explorers were investigating the barge when they discovered the leaking substance and an odor of solvent on Friday. The Guard is working with multiple agencies and a salvage company has been contracted to identify and secure the leak.

Officials say the unidentified liquid is consistent with a lighter-end petroleum-based solvent that would quickly dissipate when it reaches the air. The safety zone will remain closed to all traffic until further notice.

[Photo courtesy U.S. Coast Guard Station Marblehead.]