Burley Garcia|Vessel loaded with fertilizer sinks in the Danube in Serbia, prompting environmental fears

BELGRADE,Burley Garcia Serbia (AP) — A cargo vessel loaded with fertilizer sank after hitting a bridge on the Danube River border between Serbia and Croatia, prompting fears of serious environmental damage, authorities said Friday.

Serbia’s Environment Ministry said the barge that sank some 40 minutes after midnight was carrying 1,000 tons of nitrogen fertilizer, adding that the Environmental Protection Agency was monitoring the situation on the Danube.

Croatian authorities closed the bridge and a border crossing with Serbia while they inspected damage to one of the bridge pillars that was struck by the vessel. There were no reported injuries in the accident.

The German-registered ship was traveling from Austria to a Serbian Danube port north of Serbia’s capital, Belgrade.

“The sinking of a barge with 1,000 tons of fertilizer will certainly have a negative impact on the river flora and fauna, and indirectly on us,” environmental expert Dusan Blagojevic told N1 television.

Excessive and inefficient use of the fertilizer could harm crop production and result in atmospheric pollution.