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Giant Cargo Ship Carrying Rocket Parts Smashes and Collapses Kentucky Bridge

Jan. 27, 2012 3:51pm Liz Klimas

Cargo Ship Partially Collapses Kentucky Bridge

Part of the Eggner Ferry Bridge remains on the cargo ship that hit it. (Photo: AP/ Tina Carroll)

AURORA, Ky. (The Blaze/AP) — On Thursday, a cargo ship carrying rocket parts stuck and partially collapsed a Kentucky bridge. But less than 24 hours later, Kentucky’s governor is already promising speedy work to begin replacing the structure that sees nearly 3,000 cars pass over it a day.

Amazingly, there are no reported injuries, but one man driving Thursday evening had quite the shock when he had to slam on his brakes seeing a section missing ahead of him.

“All of a sudden I see the road’s gone and I hit the brakes,” said Parker, who lives in Cadiz. “It got close.”

Parker said he stopped his pickup within five feet of the missing section. He said he didn’t feel the vessel strike the bridge but “felt the bridge was kind of weak.”

Two spans of the Eggner Ferry Bridge at US 68 and Kentucky 80 were destroyed Thursday night by the Delta Mariner, which was too tall to pass beneath the structure. No injuries were reported on the bridge or in the boat, which was carrying rocket components from Decatur, Ala., to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Here is a local news report:

The ship was traveling on the Tennessee River on its typical route to Florida’s Atlantic coast when it hit the aging steel bridge, which was built in the 1930s and handles about 2,800 vehicles a day.

Check out this arial footage of the ship with bridge pieces still attached to it:

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the collision. And it’s too early to speculate on exactly what caused the wreck until that probe is done, said Sam Sacco, a spokesman for ship owner and operator Foss Marine.

Sacco said the boat was not severely damaged, and some of the crew remained on the ship Friday afternoon to make sure the cargo is safe.

Gov. Steve Beshear on Friday said an immediate review of options to restore the bridge would take place.

“We’ll turn our attention to a full inspection of the bridge and determine what steps we can take next to speed up the replacement of that important artery,” Beshear said.

The Delta Mariner is idle at the US68/KY80 Eggner's Ferry Bridge, with two destroyed spans of the bridge draped over her bow. (Photo: AP/Stephen Lance Dennee)

The 312-foot Delta Mariner hauls rocket parts for the Delta and Atlas systems to launch stations in Florida and California, according to a statement from United Launch Alliance, which builds the rocket parts in Alabama. The cargo was not damaged in the collision with the bridge, the company said.

The rocket parts are used by the Air Force, NASA and private companies to send satellites into space, said Jessica Frye, a spokeswoman with United Launch Alliance.

Sacco said the ship’s typical route to Florida takes it along the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers, then onto the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico and on to Florida’s east coast.

Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson and Transportation Cabinet Secretary Mike Hancock were visiting the crash area Friday, officials said.

Transportation Cabinet spokesman Keith Todd told The Paducah Sun he believes most of the navigational lights were functioning on the bridge at the time of the impact.

The bridge opened in 1932, connecting Trigg County and Marshall County at the western entrance to Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The transportation cabinet said the bridge was in the process of being replaced, and preconstruction work began months ago.

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Comments (100)

swiftouch
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:19am
Ferry 1, Bridge 0

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itot
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:05am
Bridge on the Captain!

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- bondroid
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 10:19pm
  LmAo!!!
  
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A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 3:38am
“in the boat, which was carrying rocket components from Decatur, Ala., to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.”
So, what’s it doing in Kentucky?

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- Quagmir
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 4:10am
  Shovel ready jobs
  
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- kaydeebeau
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:04am
  Try looking at a map of rivers / inland waterways, locks and dams for the answer to that question…..
  
  Report this comment
- paleoman
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:27am
  I must of got lost some where down the line.
  
  Report this comment
- Hickory
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:53am
  It has to go that route to get into the Mississippi river from Deacatur. This ship has been this way many times before. Something is just not right about this.
  
  Report this comment
- beverlee
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 10:45am
  Someone wanted a new bridge built…and they just happen to own a bridge building company.
  
  But, don’t worry, they are selling the old one. To buy a piece of the old one, call 555-555-5555-555
  
  Report this comment
- TomFerrari
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 1:36pm
  Parts too large to ship over the road.
  From Alabama, you take the Tennessee River up through Kentucky, through Kentucky Lake (Land Between The Lakes area), and on to the Mississippi River. From there, it is all downstream to the Gulf of Mexico, and an easy trip to Florida, or transfer to other ships for oceanic travel to California.
  
  I grew up about 40 miles from that bridge (in Hopkinsville, KY).
  Been across that bridge many times on fishing trips to “the lakes” (Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley) Aurora was one of the main places we stopped for pork rhinds, vienna sausages, crackers, Pepsi Cola, ice and tubes of crickets for bait.
  
  As for HOW it hit a bridge it had been under before… I’d say it was HIGH WATER LEVELS ( = human error) – unless someone sneaked out and lowered the bridge. LOL
  I’m not a sailor, but, I guess it could also have been a lack of ballast, causing the ship to float too high in the water. (Just speculation.)
  
  Report this comment
- Salamander
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:21pm
  Wrong turn?
  
  Report this comment
- Dinkiecb
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:23pm
  What’s it doing in Kentucky??? Well that’s an easy answer… it’s hitting bridges!!
  
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pdw
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 2:30am
Yes you have to look for the right link but that’s no big deal. If what RIGHTTHING1 is right then the Captain is in trouble, if not then someone, who ever routed this passage is in trouble because all bridges overpasses are to be in the records for the captain.

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MrMagoo
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 2:06am
“the bridge was in the process of being replaced, and preconstruction work began months ago.”

Testing…1.. 2..3..testing….

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RoAdFiXeR
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 1:22am
I’m guessing that boat driver is Italian…..

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- FORLORNHOPE
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 2:25pm
  And there were female crew members on board
  
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- Blackw0lf
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:45pm
  Can’t be he stayed on the boat!!!!!
  
  Report this comment
COFemale
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 10:46pm
Aw crap, Captain, I think we were suppose to take a left at that last fork.

I’ve think I’ve been across that bridge a long time ago when taking a trip to Kentucky Lake.

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- OklahomaBound
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:44pm
  Huh, I didn’t know Capt. Francesco Schettino of the Costa Concordia was back on the job, I guess they thought they’d let him practice on an old tub before they put him back in charge of a cruise liner.
  
  Report this comment
- OklahomaBound
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:46pm
  Hey mate I thought you said that was one of them thar bridges that raises up when a ship comes through?
  
  Report this comment
The-Monk
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 10:36pm
Looks like the Captain has Egg(ner) on his face….

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valkor1958
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 10:24pm
Why are all the videos about the kids with the Obama Tshirt in this story? C,mon guys it’s OK to have a cup of coffee in the afternoon. Oops that wasn’t coffee!!

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gemmeri
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 9:30pm
Who in hell gets the bill for that one??? I hope the ship’s company had insurance. Who was responsible for keeping the bridge up? Are they going to say they couldn’t afford paint? Who’s in charge here? Is Aurora, Kentucky too broke to take care of their bridges? What a travesty. Some people need to lose their jobs here.

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- COFemale
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:12pm
  Hey, did you even read the story or were you too busy thinking up dumb questions? The bridge is not a bridge that rises to let ships pass. Apparently, the ship did not center itself with the tallest area of the bridge. If you look at the picture the ship is too tall to pass under the bridge where the span is missing. As I understand it also, the ship hit the bridge at night during inclement weather or fog, but that came from another source.
  
  Report this comment
- kaydeebeau
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:09am
  boat / barge draught – depends upon river levels, if the river is too high, the ship / barges draught is higher so they don’t make it under bridges. Inland waterway river levels are controlled by locks and dams letting water out up or down river to stabilize river levels……opposite problem occurs when river levels in the channel are too low, thus dredging operations to clear the main channels
  
  Report this comment
babylonvi
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:30pm
” Kentucky’s governor is already promising speedy work to begin replacing the structure that sees nearly 3,000 cars pass over it a day.”, hardly seems to justify the $$$ to rebuild. Another bridge to nowhere(or somewhere not very big or populated).

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- COFemale
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:14pm
  And apparently you are making stupid comments on an area you know nothing about. This is a highly populated area and recreation area. I swear do you Liberals know how to read and comprehend? Oh yeah, that’s right you are union taught in public shcools.(on purpose).
  
  Report this comment
- anniedogdoll
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:52pm
  This bridge is a major route to Land between the Lakes. If this is flyover country to you, please let me explain that the people in this area depend on either farming or tourism. If you damage the tourism you can lose a large percentage of the local jobs. This may not seem like a lot of traffic in New York or San Francisco, but this is a critical artery for the local economy and local transportation.
  
  Report this comment
certified ethical hacker
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:27pm
http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/local/Photo-Gallery-Eggners-Ferry-Bridge-collapse–138200619.html?gallery=y&img=0&c=y here is a news report and photos from the paducah tv station not bad

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tbl10
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:21pm
Judging by the surface rust on some of those girders, It sure looks like bridge maintenance has been neglected. I’m betting it was only a matter of time before this bridge came down due to neglect. Probably better for everyone that drives over this bridge daily, that this accident happened. Now possibly this bridge will be replaced as it probably needed to be. The other sad fact is, many of our bridges in this country are in the same shape. If we don’t change direction this election then this country is doomed to fall just like the Roman Empire. The country burns while our representatives and people party the day and night away.

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- Sirfoldallot
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:31pm
  Well this will take at least 13 to 15 yrs to fix, this is a quick fix estimate.
  
  Report this comment
- COFemale
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:17pm
  “The transportation cabinet said the bridge was in the process of being replaced, and preconstruction work began months ago.”
  
  Apparently, you are another Liberal that does not know how to read and comprehend.
  
  Report this comment
- snufy
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 1:15am
  Why don’t you people read the story before making ignorant comments…The governor said that the bridge is in the process of being replaced. But, the present condition of the bridge is in no way justification for a ship with a numbnuts captain to tear it down. I swear…they should give iq tests before they allow commenters in here.
  
  Report this comment
futureatstake
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:16pm
“typical route” ??? How did that ship EVER fit under that bridge? That lake must suffer tidal effect.

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- tbl10
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:11pm
  Exactly or the captain was drunk and didn’t bother checking the tide chart. Someone should be losing their captain’s license.
  
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- 13th Imam
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 9:38pm
  This ship was Not in the channel. If you look at the photo, the Ship Channel is two Spans away from where the Captain tried to go under.
  
  Report this comment
- BWRCRD-SME
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 2:42am
  Actually this lake does have dramatic level changes. Usually the Kentucky Lake is at it’s lower level (winter pool) at this time of year. Also, the vessel WAS in the channel (60+ ft). Under the center spans of the bridge, the actual depth is less than 20 ft. At this part of Kentucky lake (Tennesee River), the channel is located on the east side of the waterway. I would expect that it will eventually be found out that the water level was actually higher than route planners had expected for this time of year. I doubt the captain will be found at fault.
  
  Report this comment
honor007
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:14pm
huh? a man-made shovel ready job?? who is THAT stupid?!!!!

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term limits for congress
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 6:58pm
Your bridge is on my bridge!

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- COFemale
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:28pm
  No your bridge is on my bridge.
  
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- Ken2
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 3:21am
  Nice!
  
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term limits for congress
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 6:56pm
The quick, easy, and cheap way to create “A Bridge to Nowhere.”

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certified ethical hacker
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 6:44pm
My parents live not far from this bridge on the west side of Calloway county (west of Murray home of the Murray state RACERS) THIS bridge used to so scary just to drive across it , only two lanes and extremely narrow

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Huguenot Descendant
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 6:36pm
Who was the brilliant captain of that ship, after all it’s not Rocket Sci…. oh.

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- LordChaos
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 6:55pm
  Who was in charge? Why the Skipper was. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out the ship is named the S.S. Minnow.
  
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- Salamander
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:26pm
  Maybe it went under the wrong span while the captain was hugging the shore to have the cook wave to his girlfriend?
  
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MinnesotaMARINE
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 6:30pm
OOps, Hay guys wake up! Are you asleep at the “helm”? Who is driving this ship any way, who didn’t notice the video is incorrect TWICE.

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Marengo Ohio Patriot
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 6:29pm
And it’s too early to speculate on exactly what caused the wreck until that probe is done, said Sam Sacco, a spokesman for ship owner and operator Foss Marine.

REALLY??? SERIoUSLY????

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The_Postal
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 6:22pm
Both video’s are wrong and linked to another story.

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- COFemale
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:27pm
  You can watch the lead video and then it goes to the ones about the bridge. It just didn’t get linked correctly.
  
  Report this comment
RightThinking1
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 6:19pm
Why in the world did they go under a low span? I mean the center span is considerably higher. Oh well.., maybe the captain was at dinner with a Moldovan bimbo..

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- kaydeebeau
  Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:15am
  river levels vary, higher river levels mean ships / barges are higher. River levels rise and fall – fixed objects – ie bridges do not – specific gravity doesn’t change either which means the ship / barge level above /below the water line doesn’t change.
  
  Do we not teach science anymore????
  
  Report this comment
Black Manta
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 6:16pm
Of course they would post the wrong video…way to go Blaze

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onegodinkansas
Posted on January 27, 2012 at 6:06pm
Duh. Which way do we go, George?

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- Welcome Black Carter
  Posted on January 27, 2012 at 6:51pm
  Great. Now Obama will be adding this to his “shovel ready” Jobs created.
  
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