What Crew Members Say About African-Buzzard

On March 23, 2026, the 'African Buzzard', sailing from Plaquemines Parish Port to New Orleans, collided with the cargo vessel 'Pac Dubhe' (IMO: 9304021), which was traveling from Baton Rouge to Cristobal. The incident occurred on the Mississippi River at mile marker 124.5, near Norco, around 3:30 p.m. The collision was dramatic as the 'African Buzzard'’s anchor became lodged in the bow of the 'Pac Dubhe', resulting in the two ships being entangled at position 29° 58' N 090° 24' W. The 'Pac Dubhe' suffered considerable damage on its port side bow, while the 'African Buzzard' drifted out of the navigation channel and ultimately ran aground. As a precautionary measure, authorities have instituted speed limits in the vicinity of mile marker 124. A moving safety zone has also been established for the salvage operations taking place near the incident location. A fleet of tugboats has been dispatched to assist, with the 'Mr. Ruben' (MMSI: 367753210), 'Beverly B.' (IMO: 9585223), 'A. Thomas Higgins' (IMO: 9907495), and 'Billy G.' (MMSI: 368427360) on-site as of March 26. Additionally, the 'Charles L. Strait' (MMSI: 367535250), 'St. Therese' (MMSI: 367311510), 'Martha Lynn' (IMO: 8836637), 'Endeavor' (MMSI 368106370), and 'Tom Rogers' (MMSI: 367714460) were nearby to provide support. By March 26 at approximately 11 p.m. UTC, the 'African Buzzard' was successfully berthed in New Orleans. Meanwhile, the 'Pac Dubhe' remained stationary at position 29° 60' N 090° 26' W as of March 27. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported among the crew of either vessel, nor was there any indication of environmental damage or pollution. Vessel traffic on the Mississippi River continues to operate as normal. In response to this incident, the U.S. Coast Guard has enforced a speed limit for vessels navigating the area, with both the Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launching a joint investigation to determine the causes of the collision. For visual details and updates on this maritime incident, you can refer to reports available at [The Week](https://www.theweek.in/news/maritime/2026/03/26/us-coast-guard-responds-after-freighter-bulk-carrier-collision-in-mississippi-river-all-you-need-to-know.html) and on [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewOrleans/comments/1s2kfpf/collision_yesterday_on_the_river_close_to_norco/).