Salvage crews remove ôLee IIIö from Mississippi channel
The U.S. Coast Guard last weekend briefly closed the Southwest Pass, the only route for deep-sea vessels into the Mississippi River, after salvage crews completed the removal of the sunken offshore supply boat “Lee III.”
The “Lee III” and the containership “ZIM Mexico III” collided Feb 21, killing the five-man crew of the supply boat.
The Coast Guard has convened a formal investigation in New Orleans to gather information about the accident. The inquiry, which is open to the public, will continue through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the Loyola Room of the Hyatt Regency Hotel.