Silting may have played role in Lower Mississippi grounding

摘要

A tanker carrying a full load of carbon black ran aground in the Lower Mississippi River after exiting the navigation chan- nel, possibly while trying to avoid silting in the channel. A difficult salvage operation was needed to refloat the 800-foot Ratna Puja, which grounded June 13 just above Head of Passes, five miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Eventually five tugboats were used to free the India-flagged vessel after it was stuck for two days.