Another day, another allision at the Vicksburg Railroad Bridge in Vicksburg, Miss.
The Coast Guard reported Thursday evening that the 168'x42'x11'3" towing vesselThomas K, owned by PNC Equipment Finance LLC, allided with the bridge Thursday afternoon while towing 19 barges. One ethanol barge sustained damage in the incident, the Coast Guard said, while 18 dry cargo barges reported no damage.
The Captain of the Port has issued a waterway restriction from mile marker 363 near Natchez, Miss. north to mile marker 438 near Vicksburg. The restriction is for towboats pushing barges to not transit under the bridges.
Thursday's incident followed on the heels of the 131’5”x35’2”x12 towing vessel Wally Roller, owned by American Commercial Lines, allliding with the bridge Wednesday morning and setting six barges loose.
All barges from Wednesday's incident were accounted for the same day.
Last Thursday, AEP River Operations 170'1"x48'x11'5" Robert D. Byrd struck the bridge, becoming the third vessel to do so last week on a high-running Mississippi River.
The bridge is closed pending a safety inspection by the Vicksburg Bridge Commission and the state of Mississippi.
The Coast Guard is investigating.
