CLARKSVILLE, Ind. (WHAS11) -- It's hard to miss the large barges filled with coal floating by the dam at the Falls of the Ohio. For many people who parked along the river and walked closer to the banks, it's interesting enough to take a few extra minutes to get a closer look.
"It's a sight to see," Chelsea Mix of Clarksville said. "You've got the coal just sitting there and the water rising. It's actually really nice."
But not everyone there thinks it's a pretty view.
"It's a horrible sight to see," New Albany's Devin Thomas said. "I love the river. I hate the pollution that's down here and that just adds to it."
Last Tuesday, a towboat carrying 15 barges loaded with tons of coal crashed into the Second Street Bridge, the collision breaking the barges free. Six of the barges have been recovered, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, and six of the barges have sunk, spilling their loads of coal into the water. The three remaining barges are stuck on the falls, including one that is in the gates of the dam.
"Honestly, I'm kind of upset," Thomas said. "It's like I just want to know who messed up and how bad is it going to mess up the environment?"
The environmental impact is an important issue for Thomas, who spends much of his time fishing along the Ohio River near the Falls.
"I grew up on this river. I never left this area," he said. "And I want to see it grow and develop. I want to see it beautiful and I want to see it prosper. And that is not helping."
Tennessee Valley Towing, the company that owned the towboat, is working with salvage teams along with the Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard on recovering and removing the barges from the river.
U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Commander Michael Metz told WHAS11 he expects to see heavy equipment arrive at the Ohio River sometime Wednesday evening.
He said crews are still assessing whether it is safe and viable to begin the salvage operation, and conditions can be affected by weather, water levels and other factors.