This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.
HAHNVILLE, La – The Coast Guard has shut down traffic on the Mississippi River near Hahnville after a tugboat pushing 29 barges filled with grain struck the Hale-Boggs Bridge early this morning.
Twenty-six of the 29 barges have been recovered. Two barges sank after the collision, and one barge is unaccounted for, according to the Coast Guard.
Inspectors are still searching the area for the missing barge.
No injuries were reported, and no hazardous materials were released after the collision, according to a statement from St. Charles Parish.
The tugboat struck the bridge around 1:30 a.m. on March 15. The Coast Guard closed the river between mile markers 115 and 122 while inspectors assess any possible damage to the bridge.
