AmericasOperations

Restricted traffic on Mississippi River after collision of towboats

Traffic on the Lower Mississippi River near to Memphis, Tennessee, was restricted for several hours after a collision between two towing vessels led to one of them sinking, according to the Associated Press.

The channel in the restricted area was open to one-way traffic.

Towboats the 108-foot Margaret Ann and the 220-foot William Strait were involved in the collision as they were attempting to pass each other near the Interstate 55 bridge. The William Strait came off the worst, sinking in about 20-feet of water.

No crew members from either vessel were reported hurt, the US Coast Guard said.

But authorities did deploy containment boom and sorbent boom around the William Strait for fear of a pollution spill or leak form its diesel fuel and lube oil.

Cleanup and salvage crews were on the scene.

Donal Scully

With 28 years experience writing and editing for newspapers in the UK and Hong Kong, Donal is now based in California from where he covers the Americas for Splash as well as ensuring the site is loaded through the Western Hemisphere timezone.
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