Mississippi shipping still restricted: Coast Guard

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Mississippi River remained open to only one-way traffic as salvage operations continued following a barge accident on Monday north of Memphis, Tennessee, but there was no delay in shipping, the U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday.

"There are no vessels in queue," said a spokesman for the organization.

There was still no timetable for when the river will completely reopen, but it is possible it could be the next day or two if salvage operations go as planned, the spokesman said.

The Coast Guard closed the Mississippi River between markers 776 and 769, just north of Memphis, after a collision late Monday between the Merrick Jones, a 128-foot (39-meter) towing vessel pushing 26 barges, and the Dixie Express, an 87-foot towing barge pushing two barges carrying acrylonitrile.

A second vessel was enroute to the spill to continue lightering acrylonitrile off the damaged barge, the spokesman

said.

An unknown amount of acrylonitrile, which is both toxic and flammable, was released into the water after a barge was punctured in this mishap.

(Reporting by Janet McGurty; Editing by John Picinich)