The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(NEW ORLEANS) (April 8) — The Coast Guard continues to respond to an allision resulting in a multiple barge breakaway and two sunken barges on the Mississippi River near Thebes, Ill.
The captain of the port for Ohio Valley is allowing towing vessels, with reduced tow sizes, to transit the safety zone during daylight hours via one-way traffic, after they coordinate the transit with Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Paducah at (270) 994-7383.
A safety zone will remain in place from mile marker 44 to mile marker 40 until the sunken barges are salvaged.
Junction buoys were deployed near the sunken barge in the middle of the channel at mile marker 42. The second sunken barge is resting against the Thebes Railroad Bridge.
Salvage operations for the two sunken barges are planned for Saturday.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
PREVIOUS REPORTS
(NEW ORLEANS) (April 6) — The Coast Guard continues to respond to an allision resulting in a barge breakaway on the Mississippi River near Thebes, Ill., on Wednesday.
An incident command post has been established at Marine Safety Unit Paducah. Lt. Cmdr. Heather Stratton is the incident commander.
In the initial press release, it was stated that the closure was from mile marker 44 to mile marker 30 on the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is now closed to all traffic from mile marker 44 to mile marker 20, with the exception of authorized vessels involved in the incident.
Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley watch standers received a call after the tow vessel Michael G. Morris allided with the Thebes Railroad Bridge at approximately 5 a.m. Wednesday.
The allision caused all 30 barges loaded with grain to break away. One sank at mile marker 42 of the Mississippi River and another sank next to the Thebes Railroad Bridge.
The Coast Guard is working with the Army Corps of Engineers and the owner of the barges to supervise salvage operations.
The owner of the Thebes Railroad Bridge had the bridge inspected and reopened the bridge to all traffic.
The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.
(NEW ORLEANS) (April 6) — The Coast Guard is responding to an allision and barge breakaway on the Mississippi River at mile marker 43.7 near Thebes, Ill., on Wednesday.
The Coast Guard has closed the Mississippi River from mile marker 30 to mile marker 44 after the tow vessel Michael G. Morris allided with the Thebes Railroad Bridge at mile marker 43.7, causing the 30 barges it was pushing to break away.
One barge reportedly struck a barge of another tow vessel and one barge containing soybeans is reportedly sinking.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
