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Coast Guard responds to capsized barge near Surfside Beach

The United States Coast Guard responded to a capsized barge near Surfside Beach on Wednesday. 

Coast Guard Sector Charleston Command Center crews received a report that an unmanned 30-foot construction barge had capsized, according to a press release from the USCG 7th District PA Detachment Jacksonville. 

USCG Sector Charleston deployed a response boat and a helicopter crew to check the area for pollution, the release says. No pollution has been reported. 

According to the release, the Coast Guard is working with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and Great Lakes Dredging and Dock, the owner of the barge, to remove the barge. 

The Coast Guard is also asking people to avoid the area due to safety concerns. 

The cause of the barge’s sinking is under investigation.