The United States Coast Guard and firefighters are scouring a river in Wilmington, Del. for a man who fell off a barge when it capsized Tuesday night.
The Derrick barge flipped over, dumping three men into the Christina River just before 7:30. Two of the men were rescued immediately. The third man, the maintenance dredge's operator, couldn't be found.
The workers were moving anchors in the Wilmington Harbor Channel — a routine job performed on a regular basis to reposition the barge — when it capsized, according to Charlie Myers of the Army Corps of Engineers.
"We don't know why that happened..." said Myers.
The men, later identified as Emmanuel Gatling Jr., worked for Norfolk Dredging, a company contracted out by the Army Corps.
"We are all very upset," said Myers. "We work with these folks everyday and they are like family."
A staging area was set up at the Port of Wilmington where light is being provided. Wilmington Tug as well as all available vessels in the area are helping with the search.
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"We are hoping for a miracle, but we believe he may be tangled up in the equipment underwater," Meyers said.
