VOORWAARTS

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Barge got stuck under bridge

On Sep 1, 2017, the "Voorwaarts", 331 ts (EU-No.: 02303603), was involved in an accident in the lock of Urk. The ship was stuck under a descended bridge spanning over the lock chamber because the bridge did not open in time. The master Frits Hoekstra saw that the water level began to rise after he was within the lock and the gates closed, but the bridge remained down. He tried to contact the control center, but that did not work. Hoekstra had to get the ship foward as far as possible so that the cabin was not crushed. Eventually the last three meters of the ship were hit. Railings and a dinghy were broken. Hoekstra did not get injured. The barge had delivered a cargo of sand for the company Emmeloord and was on the return trip in ballast. The province of Flevoland was investigating the accident. U Meanwhile, the Urk lock can not be used, and the employees of the province were investigating the extent of the damage to the bridge. In the worst case, the bridge deck must be lifted out and the bridge would have to remain closed for two weeks for road traffic. Vehicles were diverted to the Arie de Wit bridge. Ship traffic remained possible until the repairs to the bridge have started. Dutch reports with photos and video: http://www.omroepflevoland.nl/nieuws/150837/urk-urkersluis-dicht-na-botsing http://www.omroepflevoland.nl/nieuws/150837/urk-urkersluis-dicht-na-botsing