Watch: Towboat Narrowly Avoids Collision With Historic Steamboat On The Mississippi River

A towboat transporting 24 empty barges narrowly avoided crashing with the historic Natchez Steamboat on the Mississippi River last weekend.

The incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. on April 28th near Algiers Point, when the Robert L. Knight towboat attempted to navigate the river’s abrupt curve amid heavy winds, with potentially disastrous consequences.

Earl Weber, an eyewitness, captured the anxious moments on video, which instantly went viral.

The video shows the barges coming perilously close to colliding with the ancient paddlewheeler before being diverted to the moored ferry, RTA1.

According to the Coast Guard, the ferry’s crew’s fast thinking and measures prevented tragedy, and no damage or injuries were reported.

The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority praised LabMar, the ferry operator, and commended their crew for preventing a collision that would have badly damaged the RTA1’s metal hull.

The Natchez Steamboat, the only historic steam-powered riverboat in New Orleans, almost avoided a disaster.

Video Credits: Earl Weber/Facebook

Despite a prior engine room fire in 2022, the vessel continues to provide port tours and dinner cruises.

The investigation into the incident is still underway, but initial accounts attribute the close call to a combination of high winds and strong currents, which caused the towboat to veer off course as it went around Algiers Point.

Despite the situation’s urgency, the US Coast Guard reported that the incident caused no damage, injury, or pollution.

In his response to the near miss, Weber commended the towboat’s captain and crew’s ability and quick reflexes, crediting their evasive maneuvers with escaping a major calamity.

He detailed the anxious moments as the towboat, which was around 1200 feet long, battled the storms and navigational problems.

The tragedy warns of the inherent dangers of navigating the Mississippi River, especially in locations with high currents and unexpected weather.

It follows recent maritime incidents, such as a container ship collision in Baltimore and a cargo ship colliding with Riverwalk Marketplace decades earlier, highlighting the continuous significance of monitoring and safety precautions in maritime operations.

As the inquiry continues, additional updates will be released to shed light on the circumstances behind the close encounter on the Mississippi River, ensuring that lessons are learned and preventive actions are implemented to prevent similar occurrences.

Reference: wwltv

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