Second tugboat capsizes on St. Lawrence River

A second tugboat is pulled under by the current of the St. Lawrence river after attempting to stabilize a barge being used for the demolition of the Seaway International bridge in Cornwall (Dave Charbonneau/CTV Ottawa, June 22, 2015)

No one was seriously injured after a second tugboat capsized on the St. Lawrence river Monday night.

Crews were attempting to stabilize a barge that's carrying a crane to help with the demolition of the Seaway International Bridge in Cornwall. The tugboat was trying to attach a wire to a pier of the bridge when the boat got caught in the current of the river and slammed into the side of the barge.

The current quickly started pulling the boat underneath the water. Two of the seven workers on the boat were thrown into the water, including Eric Sunday.

"It sucked it (down) right in the front," Sunday says. "(The captain) tried to give it gas to move it forward, but once it's locked in, there's no chance."

Sunday was rescued by a safety boat. The second man was rescued by emergency crews.

The captain of the tugboat was trapped inside the sinking boat. But he was freed before the boat was completely submerged. He was stabilized on the barge and was taken to hospital. According to crews on the scene, he suffered a broken ankle.

Earlier in the day, the larger of the two tugboats capsized in the same location. It also got caught in the current, got turned sideways and started taking on water.

"They tried to get it a little closer (to the bridge), but the current took over" says witness Kent Powell. "It grabbed the side of the barge and pulled the tug with it."

Two men jumped onto a lifeboat from the sinking tug. Both weren't injured.

Representatives on scene with the company in charge of the demolition project, American Bridge, wouldn't speak with CTV about the incidents.