Paraguayan tugboat hits General Manuel Belgrano Bridge

A Paraguayan tugboat, the Tío Jan, collided with a support pillar of the General Manuel Belgrano Bridge on the Paraná River, which connects the Argentine provinces of Chaco and Corrientes. The impact damaged a protective structure and caused five barges to break away from the convoy.

Emergency operations were launched to recover the drifting barges. While some were moved to a mooring area or assisted by the national tugboat Pampero I, others were briefly stranded outside the main channel before being secured. The Argentine Naval Prefecture conducted inspections using drones and confirmed damage to pillar number five.

As a preventive measure, authorities have imposed new restrictions on convoys passing under the bridge, limiting them to a maximum length of 180 meters and a width of 50 meters. The Federal Prosecutor's Office of Corrientes is investigating the incident, and technical inspections are being conducted to ensure the vessels meet safety requirements.

The incident has drawn criticism from the Siconara naval union, which expressed concern regarding the deregulation of the waterway and the increased participation of foreign vessels in Argentine rivers.