Two Towboat Collisions Close Mississippi River Bridge

In the span of just five days, two separate towboats struck the Old Highway 80 Bridge over the Mississippi River in the U.S., leading to inspections and a temporary closure of the structure.

The most recent collision happened on May 5, when the towboat Myra Eckstein, pushing 25 grain-laden barges downstream, collided with pier number 4 of the bridge.

According to local media, the lead barge struck the pier, breaking loose along with four others. Three barges continued drifting downstream, while another hit pier number 5 before also floating away. One barge sustained hull damage and eventually sank. Authorities confirmed that none of the barges impacted the nearby interstate bridge.

This incident followed a similar one on May 1, when the towboat Rickey Hughes suffered a mechanical failure and lost steering while traveling downstream. Its lead barge collided with pier number 4, causing the tow to separate. Several barges drifted away, while one remained stuck against the pier. That time, the bridge was briefly closed but reopened the same day after inspectors found no structural harm.

Thankfully, no injuries were reported in either collision.

After the May 5 incident, authorities suspended traffic on the bridge to allow for a full structural evaluation. The Coast Guard has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the latest accident.