Houston Ship Channel Reopens Vessel Traffic

The Houston Ship Channel reopened to vessel traffic after being closed for three to four hours after a collision between a towboat and a work vessel in which one person was killed, a U.S. Coast Guard official said. The collision occurred near the Barbour's Cut location on the ship channel, a busy waterway lined with oil refineries and petrochemical plants that links Houston to Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to the fatality, five people were thrown into the water, some of who were taken to a local hospital for checks, Petty Officer said. Authorities had not yet disclosed the identity of the dead man because his next of kin had not been notified, the officer said. Approximately 14 ships were delayed because of the collision. - (Reuters)