Towboat Collision off Vacherie
The 195 foot long towboat American Heritage collided with the towboat David G. Schert on the Mississippi River near Vacherie, Louisiana. After the collision five of the barges being pushed broke free. One barge capsized releasing its cargo of caustic soda solution into the river. Coast Guard reported that upto 23,672 gallons of the solution could have been released into the water. No reports of injuries on either vessel. Traffic was halted on that section of the Mississippi River, but was later reopened. The cause of the collision is under investigation.
