Natchez Barge Accident Investigated

A rainsquall that reduced visibility appears to have been the cause of a barge hitting a piling of the Mississippi River bridge at Natchez this past weekend, the Biloxi Sun Herald reported. The investigation is ongoing.

As for previous reports that a power failure caused the accident, there's no evidence the barge lost power before the accident. The accident happened at about 8 p.m. on January 28 and involved a barge from Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel of Pine Bluff, Ark. There were no injuries. In addition, MDOT crews inspected the piling above the water level Sunday and found no damage.

(Source: Biloxi Sun Herald)