Coast Guard: Incorrect crane height information caused Talmadge Bridge collision

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The Coast Guard has released a report after a crane struck the Talmadge Bridge in August.

The Coast Guard says the crane hit the bridge after the tugboat’s captain was given incorrect information about the height of the crane. The crane operator told the captain the crane’s boom was 160 feet long. But it was really 180 feet long. That caused the crane’s boom to hit the bridge and collapse. No one was injured.

The report says the accident caused about $450,000 worth of damage to the bridge.

Read full incident brief below:

At approximately 1315, on August 1, 2025, the tugboat LONA MYRICK was pushing a construction barge loaded with equipment, including a track crane, inbound on the Savannah River. During the transit, the crane’s boom allided with the center portion of the Talmadge Bridge, resulting in damage to the bridge, crane and spud barge. The LONA MYRICK departed Fig Island, Georgia, towing the spud barge MYRICK 13060 en route upriver to Savannah Sugar. The tug was positioned at the stern and pushing the barge, which carried various equipment, including a Terex Model HC230 crawler crane. The crane’s boom was raised to hold one of the two spuds on the barge. The tug’s master was aware that the route upriver required passing under the Talmadge Bridge, which has an air clearance of 184.5 feet at mean high water. Concerned about clearance, the master asked the crane operator for the boom’s length. The crane operator incorrectly stated the boom was 160 feet long. Based on this information, the master estimated the total height of the barge and crane to be approximately 177 feet, believing it would clear the bridge. However, the actual boom length was 180 feet, resulting in a total height of 197 feet. As the tug and barge attempted to pass under the bridge, the crane’s boom allided with the bridge and collapsed onto the barge. The spud being held by the boom fell into the Savannah River. The bridge was closed for approximately three hours while structural engineers assessed its safety for travel. No injuries or pollution were reported, and initial damage estimates were approximately $450,000. Drug and alcohol testing of the crew returned negative results. Through its investigation, the Coast Guard determined the initiating event was the allision of the cranes boom with the Talmadge bridge. This was followed by property damage to the bridge, crane, and barge. Causal factors contributing to this casualty were: 1) The vessel operator did not have formal policies or procedures addressing crane movements and mitigating overhead hazards during transits. 2) The vessel operator failed to ensure tug masters were provided accurate information about the vertical height of barges and their cargo, including crane heights. 3) The vessel operator did not ensure a navigation assessment was completed and logged in the Towing Vessel Record Book (TVRB). 4) The tug master did not log the navigation assessment as required. 5) The crane operator provided the tug master with an incorrect boom height, leading to miscalculations. 6) The tug master relied on one point of reference to estimate the barge’s total height, which proved inaccurate.

Coast Guard Investigation Report