A Barge Hits Ferry Bridge In Kentucky…Knocks It ‘Clean Out’….What Is Going On With Ship Captains This Month?!?!
Look at the photos, and then read this story….What was the captain thinking?!?!?
Bow of the Delta Mariner
Delta Mariner - even more amazing close up!
The bow of the Delta Mariner was covered in twisted steel and chunks of asphalt from the two-lane bridge. The boat hit the bridge Thursday night on the Tennessee River on its way to Cape Canaveral, Fla. Its cargo? The barge carries space rocket components to Florida’s coast for NASA and the Air Force however it is currently stuck on a western Kentucky river after it slammed into an aging traffic bridge.
The five-story high Delta Mariner was too tall to pass through the portion of the bridge that it struck, and the resulting collision left a 300-foot wide gap.
No injuries were reported on the bridge or boat, which was carrying space rocket parts from Decatur, Ala., to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The ship was traveling on its typical route to Florida’s Atlantic coast when it hit the aging steel bridge, which was built in the 1930s and handles about 2,800 vehicles a day.
The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the collision. And it’s too early to speculate on exactly what caused the wreck until that probe is done, said Sam Sacco, a spokesman for ship owner and operator Foss Marine of Seattle. Sacco said the boat was not severely damaged, and some of the crew remained on the vessel Friday afternoon to make sure the cargo is safe.
The bridge at US 68 and Kentucky 80 opened in 1932, connecting Trigg County and Marshall County at the western entrance to Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The transportation cabinet said the bridge was in the process of being replaced, and preconstruction work began months ago.
Barge traffic colliding with substructures happens almost on a daily basis on America’s brown waters, but certainly not to this extent. The difficulty in navigating rivers with a load is the reason why these gentlemen make the money that they do on a yearly basis. Its far more difficult to run these routes than you’d think. As far as the bridge is concerned, the 300′ gap is an easy, albeit costly repair project that should be completed by June. No one was killed so its just something you have to deal with.
Thanks for your comment! When I was doing the research for the posting I noticed a large number of crashes as you point out although most due it seems limited damage. This pretty dramatic crash soon after the Costa Concordia makes it even a bit more dramatic….and yes I hear you, it is tough work and difficult navigating. Be well, Regina
This is bad i spent 29 years in the military there is a thing call recone ….The driver and crew should have known that that bridge was to low for the barge to go under…
Thanks for your post! I agree…how could you not know?!?!?!?! Be well! Regina