The following is the text of two press releases issued April 1 by the U.S. Coast Guard:
(VICKSBURG, Miss.) — The Coast Guard has closed the Mississippi River to all maritime traffic from mile marker 422 to 440 here at approximately 12:30 a.m., today.
The closure is a result of a sunken barge resulting from an allision between the towing vessel, Ray A Eckstein, managed by Marquette Transportation Co. Inc. and the Vicksburg’s Hwy 80 Bridge. The barge was carrying steel coil. Barges in the area have been secured to the bank or to other tows.
The Coast Guard is working with the Army Corps of Engineers to find the exact position of the sunken barge so the river can be reopened for commercial traffic.
The incident is under investigation.
(VICKSBURG, Miss.) — The Coast Guard reopened the Mississippi River at noon today, from mile markers 422 to 440.
A sunken barge, being pushed by the towing vessel Ray A Eckstein, was located at mile marker 435.8 and has been determined to be below 90-feet of water.
The incident is under investigation.
