A Capital Sand Co. dredge got swamped in the Missouri River on Thursday night or Friday morning, and company officials are trying to determine what their next steps will be.
It was fine when they saw it Thursday, Farmer Holdings Co. Vice President Kirk Farmer told the News Tribune.
Then "it started taking on water; and, when we found it early (Friday) morning, it had fallen on its side in the water," he said.
How that happened is not known yet, Farmer said.
"We're basically cooperating with all the regulatory agencies to make sure that everything is done appropriately," he said, "and return the river to a better state than it was when we left it."
No one was hurt in the accident.
Capital Sand is a Farmer Holdings subsidiary.
The dredge, the "Kathy Lee," pumps sand from the river's bottom to a barge, then the barge carries the sand from the river to the bank.
The dredge was alone in the water when it rolled over, and no barge was involved, Farmer said.
"So there was no sand" dumped back into the river, he said.
Farmer said officials don't know yet if the dredge can be repaired.
"It is, unfortunately, too early," he said Friday. "We are just going to have to work with the appropriate agencies to make sure the site is safe and secure first.
"And then we'll remove the dredge, once we're allowed to."