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Milkyway did not allide with bridge as initially suspected

The "Milkyway", 2432 ts (EU-No.: 02325012), was stopped by the Dutch police in Gaarkeuken near Gronigen on Feb 26, 2017, under the suspicion of having allided with the bridge over the Nije Wittering at Oude Schouw between Akkrum and Jirnsum and having fled from the scene. Witnesses had alerted the authorities after having remarked that the ship had stopped underneath the bridge and thought that it had got stuck with the upper containers at the construction, leaving the place later without informing the authorities. Inspectors of Rijkswaterstaat investigated the bridge and found it undamaged. It turned out that the ship's master Johan Korterink had stopped his ship half way under the bridge when he feared that the cargo might be too high to pass. So he increased the draught by taking on ballast water and was then able to pass without touching the bridge and continue the voyage from Lelystad to Leeuwarden.