Two tugboats in incident at Olmsted Locks and Dam, one capsizes

The Ohio River was closed to navigation for a time on Tuesday due to an incident involving two tugboats at the Olmsted Locks and Dam, about 17 miles downstream from Paducah.

According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District, the incident occurred at approximately 8:50 a.m. The Corps of Engineers said the accident occurred during "routine fleeting activities" at the site. 

The USACE-owned workboat, the M/V Jackie Lee Anderson, was found to be listing on the Illinois bank of the river after the incident. Another USACE-owned vessel, the M/V 775 workboat, had capsized below the dam.

Pulaski County, Illinois officials reached out to McCracken County and others for mutual aid, according to sources. Early indications were that several people were in the water, but McCracken County Emergency Management soon posted that all of those on the capsized tug had been accounted for.

Locking resumed and the river reopened to navigation traffic later on Tuesday afternoon.

Plans are being developed with salvage companies for recovery of the vessels.

The cause of the incident is under investigation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is coordinating updates with the Coast Guard and towing industry.