A tug boat was involved in a collision with a barge in the Hudson River on March 12, 2016. The accident occurred near the Tappan Zee Bridge off the shore of Westchester NY.
One member of the tugboat crew was confirmed dead at the scene. Two other crew members went missing.
The doomed tug boat was navigating southbound through the Tappan Zee Bridge pillars extending from the Hudson River.
Currently, heavy machinery, building equipment and materials occupy the area. These commercial items are part of New York’s construction of a new Tappan Zee Bridge connecting Westchester and Rockland counties.
The tugboat apparently misjudged its distance from the large barge, which was docketed near the bridge as part of the construction project. A tug boat crew member was overheard on its radio warning of the impending crash, but the ship’s captain was unable to avoid the accident.
The tug boat slammed into the barge, cracking its frame and causing 5,000 gallons of oil to spill into the waters.
The tugboat itself appears to have sunken and lodged itself underneath the barge.
After confirming the first crew member’s death, rescue workers were able to recover the body of the second deceased crewman.
It is believed the missing crewman’s body may be located in the submerged vessel.
A search and rescue mission was launched to attempt to locate the body. However, the tugboat’s oil spill clouded the water to the extent there was only 6 inches of visibility underwater. The divers had to be pulled from the river, but further searches were scheduled for launch.
Emergency response workers also searched the nearby shorelines, hoping the man made it to shore. Unfortunately there was no such luck.
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