Portion of Mississippi reopened to marine traffic

February 2, 1998
Web posted at: 1:03 p.m. EDT (1703 GMT)

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (CNN) -- A portion of the Mississippi River was reopened to marine traffic following a nine-hour closure Sunday due to a sunken barge.

The barge sank after the tugboat pushing it struck the Interstate 155 bridge near Kinfolks Ridge, Missouri. Twenty-five barges came loose but 23 were brought under control. One barge was grounded on the river banks and one took on water and sank.

The barge was carrying rocks and posed no pollution hazard, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said. No one was injured in the incident. The cause of the accident is under investigation by Coast Guard officials in Memphis.

Officials closed the stretch of river between Caruthersville, Missouri, and Blytheville, Arkansas, while Coast Guard officials conducted a search for the sunken barge, which was located Sunday night.

---

 

---

Sound off on our message boards & chat

© 1998 Cable News Network, Inc.
A Time Warner Company
All Rights Reserved.

Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.