Barge Strikes Bridge; Mississippi River Closed in Iowa

The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday closed the Mississippi River at Sabula, Iowa, after a barge struck a railroad bridge, said Eric Washburn, bridge administrator for agency's Eighth District Western Rivers Bridge Branch.

The river was closed to north and southbound traffic as of about 3 p.m. CDT (2000 GMT), Washburn said, adding that investigators were traveling to the site.

The barge was stuck in an open position and the contents of the barge were unknown, he said.

The Mississippi River is the busiest U.S. waterway and the main route to ports along the U.S. Gulf Coast.

(Reporting by Michael Hirtzer)