DESTREHAN - Authorities are searching for three people who went missing in the Mississippi River after two towing vessels collided near Destrehan.

According to WWL, the vessels crashed into each other around 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning near mile marker 123. One of the vessels sank to the bottom of the river and the other sustained considerable damages.

The Coast Guard sent out a response boat from the New Orleans Coast Guard Sector and a rescue helicopter from Air Station New Orleans. 

One of the members of the vessel was rescued by a Samaritan. The search for the remaining three members is still ongoing. 

One of the vessels was carrying two barges of sulfuric acid. One barge was damaged due to the collision and reportedly released an unknown amount of vapor into the air. A safety zone from mile marker 121 to 123 has been issued and traffic is closed to vessels in that area. 

The Coast Guard is scheduled to hold a press conference about the incident on Sunday at 3:30 p.m., and will be held at St. Charles Parish Emergency Operations Center in Hahnville, LA. 

This is a developing story.