Two people have died after a helicopter crashed into a barge on the Mississippi River near West Alton, Missouri, in a fiery midday disaster that stunned witnesses and shut down nearby transport routes.
Authorities confirmed the helicopter struck power lines before crash-landing onto a working barge, igniting a massive fireball and sending plumes of smoke into the sky. Both victims were on board the aircraft at the time of the crash and died at the scene, officials said.
“Like Something Out of a Movie”
A river worker who witnessed the incident described the horrifying moment to Cedar News, saying:
It was just dropping and hitting the barge, then boom — fire everywhere. Like something out of a movie.”
Images from the scene show intense flames engulfing the barge, with firefighters battling the blaze from land and water. The Alton Fire Department is leading the response, supported by local and federal agencies.
Bridge and River Traffic Shut Down
The Clark Bridge has been closed as a precaution while emergency teams secure the area. Traffic on the Mississippi River has also been suspended around the 200-mile marker in St. Charles County, disrupting commercial and recreational river activity.
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Investigation Underway
Authorities from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are expected to launch a full investigation into the cause of the crash. The fire has since been brought under control, but recovery efforts and site assessments continue.
