Elizabeth M
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth M was a towboat
that sank in the Ohio River
on January 9, 2005. The sinking of the vessel resulted in the death of four of the seven crew when the Elizabeth M accidentally went over the Montgomery Locks and Dam near the Pittsburgh suburb of Industry
, Pennsylvania
.
when the strong current of the river pushed the tug and its load over the dam
. High water was partly blamed for the incident. Three of the seven crew managed to escape the sinking ship, but three perished, and the last was found weeks later inside the sunken vessel when the ship was raised from the bottom of the river. The sinking of the Elizabeth M is one of the most recent maritime disasters on the Ohio.
Towboat
Not to be confused with the historic boat type with the same name, also called horse-drawn boat.A towboat is a boat designed for pushing barges or car floats. Towboats are characterized by a square bow with steel knees for pushing and powerful engines...
that sank in the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
on January 9, 2005. The sinking of the vessel resulted in the death of four of the seven crew when the Elizabeth M accidentally went over the Montgomery Locks and Dam near the Pittsburgh suburb of Industry
Industry, Pennsylvania
Industry is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, along the Ohio River. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 1,921.- History :...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Tragedy
The Braddock bound Elizabeth M was pushing six barges through the lockLock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
when the strong current of the river pushed the tug and its load over the dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
. High water was partly blamed for the incident. Three of the seven crew managed to escape the sinking ship, but three perished, and the last was found weeks later inside the sunken vessel when the ship was raised from the bottom of the river. The sinking of the Elizabeth M is one of the most recent maritime disasters on the Ohio.