Ship/ barge collision, Mississippi River near New Orleans

[Steve]

About 2 am today a ship travelling down river hit a barge carrying diesel. There are no injuries reported and details are sketchy but it it seems the barge was spilt and patially sank, the forward and aft ends are being*held in place by tugs. Some diesel spilled* so the river in the New Orleans area is shut down. This occurred out in the river near the Harvey Locks the wreckage seems to have drifted downriver and is near the New Orleans Bridge.*
*No word of damage to the ship or if the barge was moored* or in a tow, nor any reason for the collision, only that the ship's horn was sounding shortly before the "crash" was heard.
Details should be available later today.

Steve
**

 

[Forkliftt]

Steve-
I just heard about the collision. Heavy crude running down the Mississippi. This ain't gonna be good.......

 

[Steve]

I still haven't heard*who was responsible for*the collision or the position of the vessels as it occured. It does seem that the freighter hit the center of the barge spiltting it like an an egg. The river is still shut down, I hope no cruisers are held up on either side of the river.
One disturbing report is that not one*of the crew of the tow boat were holding the proper licences to work on the river. The boat was captained by an "Apprentice Master", according to the press not legal status for what he was doing on the river.
Steve