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American Morning

Death Toll Expected to Rise in Barge Crash

Aired May 27, 2002 - 09:01   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The death toll is expected to rise in Oklahoma. Recovery efforts continue after a barge collided with an interstate bridge, sending up to a dozen vehicles into the water. There are a number of unanswered questions right now, including how many vehicles went in the water and how many people might have been inside those vehicles at the time.

David Mattingly, once again, in Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, joins us live this morning there -- David, good morning.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

Divers are back in the water at this hour fighting a strong current and poor visibility as they attempt to locate and recover all of the victims of yesterday's bridge collapse. There may be as many as nine vehicles under water; possibly as many as a dozen victims, we're told. Authorities expect to recover them all today.

The death toll stands at three right now. That will likely change very soon. But as the divers go about their business, authorities warn it won't be easy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. JOHN HARRIS, OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY PATROL: It's a very arduous task. We've had a lot of rain in Oklahoma lately. The streams and the river itself is swollen. The current is very, very swift, which in turn has made the water very murky. And you capitalize that with (UNINTELLIGIBLE), concrete, and the vehicles are very mangled. The impacts were so severe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: There are a number of problems in the recovery process to work through today. There's a big concern that a section of the bridge resting on the barge may give way. There's also a worry that some of the bodies may have been carried down river by the strong current.

Long-term concerns are economic in nature. Twenty thousand cars cross that bridge daily. I-40 is the main east-west expressway for this part of the country. And many residents in the nearby town of Webbers Falls depend on that bridge to commute to work and to drive to the grocery store. So as it is closed it will be missed and will be having an impact on the people who live around here.

The investigation is being headed up by the National Transportation Safety Board. Those investigators are expected to talk to us sometime later today after they've completed their preliminary interviews in the case. We do know that the captain piloting the barge was unconscious at the wheel at the time, due, apparently, to a medical problem. We hope to learn more about that later today as well -- Bill.

HEMMER: Tough story, especially on a holiday weekend, or anytime for that matter -- David, thank you. David Mattingly, in eastern part of Oklahoma.

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