A tugboat, identified by the US Coast Guard as the Cooperative Spirit, struck the Luling Bridge on the morning of Sunday, March 15, at around 1:30 am. The crash led to the sinking of two of the 29 barges filled with grain, which the vessel was towing along the Mississippi River. There were no injuries or fatalities, said the officials.
The Coast Guard shut down traffic on a section of the Mississippi River, between mile markers 115 and 122, paving the way for investigation and safe recovery of the 27 barges. Twenty-six barges were recovered a few hours later. The inspectors are yet to make a formal report, accounting for the missing one barge.
The amount of grain spilled into the river, and the authorities did not report the extent of damage to the Luling Bridge. Fortunately, no hazardous material found their way to the river, according to St. Charles Parish.
This collision happens just less than two months after a barge towboat with the same name as Cooperative Spirit collided with RC Creppel, another vessel towing barges of sulfuric acid on Mississippi River. The crash also occurred on a Sunday morning, although it killed three men. It is unclear whether this is the same tugboat that was involved in the fatal accident.
Consult an offshore accident lawyer
Working on the Mississippi River is marred by several safety risks, which are preventable or unavoidable. When you or someone close to you gets involved in an offshore collision, the best course of action is to get in touch with a trusted offshore accident lawyer.
A knowledgeable and reputable lawyer like Mike Mahone will walk you through the laws applying to your specific case and take the necessary steps to protect your rights. To talk to Mike, Call (504) 564-7342 today and request a free case evaluation.
