Mississippi helicopter crash RECAP: Two dead after aircraft slams into barge

34 mins ago19:39 Eleanor Burleigh

1 hour ago19:05 Eleanor Burleigh

The Alton Fire Department has confirmed that a "small fire" at the site of the helicopter crash in the Mississipi has been put out.

"The helicopter was just working on these powerlines," someone filming the incident told The Mirror. "The powerline blew up. There was a pilot, there was a worker."

1 hour ago18:57 Eleanor Burleigh

1 hour ago18:54 Eleanor Burleigh

The two people who died in a helicopter crash on the Mississippi River were passengers in the aircraft, the Alton Fire Department says.

Matthew Fischer, deputy fire chief, said no one was injured on the barge while confirming the deaths to local reporters.

Two people have died in the crash (Image: FirstAlert4)

1 hour ago18:48 Eleanor Burleigh

US Coastguard investigative officers are at the scene of a major helicopter crash on the Mississippi River, authorities have confirmed. 

A spokesperson for the Homeland Security department said: "The US Coastguard is working with partner agencies in response to a helicopter crash near Alton.

"The Upper Mississippi River is closed to vessel traffic from mile maker 199 to 201. Coast Guard investigative officers are on scene and pollution teams are en-route."

1 hour ago18:46 Eleanor Burleigh

2 hours ago18:32 Eleanor Burleigh

The barge crashed into by a helicopter on the Mississippi River today was carrying "chemicals and flammables", the Alton Telegraph reports.

The local news outlet also reports that the helicopter struck power lines while plummeting into the water.

2 hours ago18:26 Eleanor Burleigh

The helicopter involved in the crash was installing marker balls on power lines near the river's 200-mile marker before it collided with a barge and erupted into flames, reports suggest.

US news outlets have reported that the helicopter struck the power lines during the installation process, before plummeting onto the vessel.

Emergency responders are at the scene, with no details on casualties yet confirmed.

2 hours ago18:22 Eleanor Burleigh

Video from the scene shows a huge cloud of black smoke rising from a barge on the Mississippi River after it collided with a helicopter.

The crash has reportedly triggered a huge emergency response, with local fire, hazmat and emergency medical service crews dispatched to the site, near mile marker 200 in St Charles County.

2 hours ago18:15 Eleanor Burleigh

Traffic on America's second-largest river has been temporarily halted as emergency services investigate the site of a helicopter crash, according to local reports.

The nearby Clark Bridge is also reportedly closed.

The crash is thought to have happened at around midday local time, with the aircraft colliding with a barge and prompting huge clouds of black smoke to rise up into the sky.

2 hours ago18:11 Eleanor Burleigh

The collision between a helicopter and barge in the Mississippi River was "like something out a movie", a river worker who witnessed the incident says.

The anonymous worker recounted the helicopter "just dropping and hitting the barge" during an interview with Cedar News.

The outlet also reported that the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board had been notified and were preparing to launch an investigation into the incident.

2 hours ago18:03 Eleanor Burleigh

Two people were on-board the helicopter before it crashed into a barge in the Mississippi River near US Highway 67, according to US media.

Emergency services from both Missouri and Illinois are reportedly at the scene assisting with response and recovery efforts. The conditions of the passengers have not been disclosed.

2 hours ago18:00 Matthew Dooley

The crash occured near the Missouri Illinois border (Image: )

2 hours ago17:54 Matthew Dooley