Two Caruthersville residents are in critical condition following a collision on the Mississippi River on Saturday.
R.H. and Frances McCoin sustained serious injuries after the boat they were in apparently collided with a barge on the Tennessee side of the river on Saturday. According to United States Coast Guard Petty Officer Casey Ranel, information concerning the incident is being withheld because of an ongoing investigation. As of presstime, the findings of the investigation were not complete.
According to close family friends, the McCoins were airlifted to The Regional Medical Center in Memphis where Frances McCoin remains in critical condition and R.H. McCoin was in serious condition. Friends indicated that they suffered from broken bones and internal injuries. EMS workers at the scene indicated that barge workers actually are credited with saving the McCoins lives after they helped get the couple to the bank and performed some emergency medical attention.
Ranels said the U.S. Coast Guard was not on the scene during the incident and any rescue was performed by "locals and good samaritans." The name of the barge company was not being released pending the investigation into the crash.