Wreck of the Elizabeth M
 

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-.../s_291534.html
That's the pilot house of a 110' long 26' wide tug just sticking out of the
water in that picture. I've been along side the Elizabeth M on my little
section of the Kanawha River a number of times. According to most reports,
they were on their way out of the Montgomery Island Lock, heading up the
Ohio, when the current caught the barges and swung them toward the dam. The
crew untied the tug and tried to swing around and catch the barges, but the
tug and three of six barges were swept over the dam. Four men dead. A few
local pilots have commented that the rain swollen river should have been
closed to traffic before the accident.

Joe Blizzard wrote:

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-.../s_291534.html
That's the pilot house of a 110' long 26' wide tug just sticking out
of the
water in that picture. I've been along side the Elizabeth M on my
little
section of the Kanawha River a number of times. According to most
reports,
they were on their way out of the Montgomery Island Lock, heading up
the
Ohio, when the current caught the barges and swung them toward the
dam. The
crew untied the tug and tried to swing around and catch the barges,
but the
tug and three of six barges were swept over the dam. Four men dead. A
few
local pilots have commented that the rain swollen river should have
been
closed to traffic before the accident.

What part of the Kanawha? I spent a lot of time on the Winfield --
Charleston area last year.

wrote
What part of the Kanawha? I spent a lot of
time on the Winfield -- Charleston area last year.

Winfield. I'm a couple miles up river from the locks.