Portion of Mississippi River Reopened Following Barge Sinking

The U.S. Coast Guard has re-opened a portion of the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge after it was partially closed due to a barge that sank Monday.

A portion of the river had been closed to commercial deep-draft traffic after a deck barge sank Nov. 11. The search for the sunken barge was conducted using sonar surveys by vessels from the Army Corps of Engineers as well as contracted vessels.

At 1 p.m. Tuesday, the barge was found outside the navigable channel, and that portion of the Mississippi River was re-opened to all traffic. The Coast Guard is working with the owner of the barge to develop a salvage plan for the safe removal of the barge.

No pollution or injuries have been reported, and the Coast Guard is continuing its investigation to determine the cause of the incident.