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CNN Live Today

Divers Pull Remaining Victims From Arkansas River Disaster

Aired May 27, 2002 - 11:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: Up first on CNN this hour, the I-40 bridge collapse. Divers hope to pull the remaining victims of the disaster from the Arkansas River today. Around a dozen vehicles, at least that many, spilled into the water when a barge rammed into the bridge.

CNN's David Mattingly is on the scene this morning in Webbers Falls, Oklahoma. David, how is it going?

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kris, a lot of attention being focused this morning on the barge captain who was reportedly unconscious at the wheel when the barge he was piloting crashed into the I-40 bridge. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are interviewing members of the crew. They hope to be able to get more information how long and possibly why the captain was unconscious at such a critical time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOEL HENDERSON, MAGNOLIA MARINE TRANSPORT COMPANY: He was out of the navigation channel. Apparently he blacked out, and at that point in time, the vessel was on course that if the pilot were there he would make the appropriate corrections to take the tow through the navigation span, but it did not. It stayed on the same course and apparently was moving at about what was estimated at about five miles per hour with two empty barges, that it hit the side spans of the bridge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: Divers, meanwhile, have located at least seven more vehicles they will attempt to pull from the water today. Authorities will be attempting to identify the victims inside the cars by the individual license plates.

Calls continue to come in here as overdue holiday travelers create some concern among families this holiday weekend. The I-40 bridge is crossed 20,000 times a day. Scores of calls have come in so far. Authorities, however, believe that the total number of the death toll for this disaster will be somewhere between five and 12 people.

We are expecting a major news conference this afternoon at 3:00 Eastern Time. Authorities will be briefing us on their progress and on their findings. So we will have more information for you there -- Kris.

OSBORN: Hey, David, any sense of when the grim task of recovering all of those bodies submerged beneath the water might eventually be found?

MATTINGLY: They want to get all the cars out of the water today. And if all the bodies have remained with the vehicles, the bodies will be recovered at the same time. So hopefully that will be a stroke of luck that people will be able to take advantage of and get everybody that they are hoping that is down there today.

OSBORN: David Mattingly live at Webbers Falls, Oklahoma. Thank you very much for that live report on this very tragic situation there.

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