Tugboat collides with Mississippi River bridge, sinking grain barges

Published 7:58 am Monday, March 16, 2020

A tugboat leading a train of barges of grain crashed into a Louisiana bridge, causing two of the barges to sink in the Mississippi River.

The tugboat, identified as Cooperative Spirit, collided with the Luling Bridge early Sunday morning, news outlets reported.

Two of the 29 barges being pulled by the tugboat sank.

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The Coast Guard was working to recover the rest of the barges. No injuries were reported, Coast Guard spokesman John Michelli said.

A portion of the river near the bridge was closed after the crash.

A vessel named Cooperative Spirit was involved in a fatal crash with another tugboat earlier this year.

It was unclear whether that was the same tugboat that crashed Sunday, news outlets reported.