NEW ORLEANS – 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, Illinois. The Captain of the Port 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.