Update - The Voyageur Independent struck the St Louis de Gonzaque bridge at around noon Tuesday.
The vessel lost steering just before going through the narrow channel leading under the raised bridge. The vessel took a sheer to the right brushed an abutment. These are round, steel caissons which could to be filled with boulders and or cement and are designed to protect the bridge support piers.
Independent was traveling at 4.8 knots when she hit the bridge. The bridge suffered a fair amount of damage and had to be closed to vehicular traffic.
The St Louis bridge is the least used vehicle traffic bridge in that area but the people using it will now have a 6 mile detour in order to reach the other side. Ships will still be able to get by with little or no problems at all.
Voyageur Independent, after hitting the bridge, went to anchor. Sometime later, she went through the channel and the raised bridge and went to anchor above St Lois bridge on the right side on the channel in the St Louis emergency anchorage area. She is still there Thursday morning.
Boatnerd.com