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NEWBURGH, Ind. (AP) — The lock chambers of an Ohio River dam in southwestern Indiana were closed Tuesday after eight barges broke away from their vessel and became pinned against a dam, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said.
The Newburgh Lock and Dam's lock chambers were closed following the accident that occurred about 1 a.m. Tuesday at the site about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of Evansville.
Brad Stout, operations manager for Locks and Dams for the Louisville district, told WFIE-TV the vessel lost its steering while going through the dam and its crew lost control of the vessel. The current grabbed the barges and pulled them in front of the dam while the current snapped wires connecting the barges to the vessel.
Three of the barges went through the dam and were corralled by other boats. The remaining eight were pinned against the dam.
The company that owns the boat is bringing in two boats to retrieve the barges: one to pull the barges away from the dam and the other to pull them to the lock.
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