Two Vessels Collide And One Runs Aground On Mississippi River Near Hahnville

Two vessels collided on the Mississippi River on March 23, leaving the African Buzzard aground and entangled with the Pac Dubhe near mile marker 124.5.

The U.S. Coast Guard responded immediately, imposed a speed restriction in the area, and said there were no injuries or signs of pollution. The river remains open to vessel traffic.

The Pac Dubhe, a downbound freighter headed for Panama, and the African Buzzard, an upriver geared bulker, collided at about 3:50 p.m. local time near Hahnville, just upriver from New Orleans.

The impact caused the African Buzzard to drift out of the channel and run aground, while its anchor became lodged in the bow of the Pac Dubhe. Both vessels remain stuck together.

Tugboats are alongside the vessels. Both operators are conducting full assessments to prepare salvage plans, which they will submit to the Coast Guard before starting recovery.

The Coast Guard has put a speed restriction in place for vessels passing the collision site to ensure safety while salvage operations are planned.

The Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have started a joint investigation into the cause of the collision. They are reviewing vessel data, crew statements, and conditions at the time to determine how the accident happened.

No crew members were hurt, and there has been no reported environmental damage. Automatic Identification System (AIS) data shows multiple tugs in the area assisting the vessels.

References: USCG, fox8live