Barge crashes into Pelican Island Bridge Causeway in Texas

A barge has collided with the Pelican Island Causeway in Texas, damaging a portion of the crossing and causing an oil spill.

The incident happened in the city of Galveston just before 10 am on Wednesday with the bridge, which is 3,239 feet long, now closed until authorities deem it safe. 

Officials closed down the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway for six and a half miles, with the closure causing a significant problem for maritime traffic along the Texas coast. 

County Judge Mark Henry told ABC13 that the vessel was under tow when it broke loose and slammed into the side of the bridge. 

Aerial shots show the vessel embedded into the side of the bridge, with part of the train trestle that runs along it having collapsed.  

The incident happened in the city of Galveston just before 10 am on Wednesday with the bridge, which is 3,239 feet long, now closed until authorities deem it safe

Aerial shots show the vessel embedded into the side of the bridge, with part of the train trestle that runs along it having collapsed

Two crew members aboard the ship went overboard but were recovered from the water following the collision. 

Henry told the outlet that the collision caused oil to spill from the barge, which has a capacity of 30,000 gallons, it remains unclear how much of it went into the water. 

The bridge connects the north side of Galveston Island, just west of the Port of Galveston, with the south side of Pelican Island and is the only road on and off. 

The island is home to Texas A&M University at Galveston, with officials at the school saying on-campus dining would be available for those stuck on the island. 

In a statement, the university said: 'The Pelican Island Bridge is closed to all traffic at this time due to a barge strike. 

'Electricity has been restored and additional updates will be provided as the situation unfolds. The next scheduled update will be at 1200.' 

The US Coast Guard has responded to the scene and will determine the extent of the oil spill. 

The Galveston Office of Emergency Management said that the barge was owned by Martin Petroleum. 

Two crew members aboard the ship went overboard but were recovered from the water following the collision

The bridge connects the north side of Galveston Island, just west of the Port of Galveston, with the south side of Pelican Island and is the only road on and off

The US Coast Guard has responded to the scene and will determine the extent of the oil spill

It comes after the Dali cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the Port of Baltimore at the end of March. 

The ship suffered a power outage and crashed into one of the bridge's support columns, causing it to come down and kill six construction workers.

Investigators said he first power outage occurred after a crew member mistakenly closed an exhaust damper, causing one of the ship's diesel engines to stall.

The report provides new details about how the ship's crew addressed the power issues it experienced while still docked in Baltimore. A full investigation could take a year or more, according to the safety board.

The Dali was headed from Baltimore to Sri Lanka, laden with shipping containers and enough supplies for a monthlong voyage.

The Indian and Sri Lankan men on board haven't been permitted to leave since the disaster happened. 

After the initial blackout caused by the closed exhaust damper, investigators say a backup generator automatically came on. 

An aerial view of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge after a collision with a cargo ship in Baltimore, Maryland 

In this image taken from video released by the National Transportation and Safety Board, the cargo ship Dali is stuck under part of the structure 

Crews conduct a controlled demolition of a section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge resting on the Dali container ship in Baltimore on May 13, 2024 

It continued to run for a short period - until insufficient fuel pressure caused it to kick off again, resulting in a second blackout.

That's when crew members made changes to the ship's electrical configuration, switching from one transformer and breaker system that had been in use for several months to another that was active upon its departure, according to the report.

Investigators stopped short of drawing a direct line between those earlier power issues and the blackout that ultimately caused the bridge collapse.

The safety board launched its investigation almost immediately after the collapse, which sent six members of a roadwork crew plunging to their deaths.