Sprayed Towboat Relased from Quarantine, EPA holding release of crop duster tests

CBS 12 WJTV Jackson, Mississippi ^ | October 22, 2001 | Darren Dedo

[umbra]

A Mississippi River towboat that was sprayed with an unknown substane by a crop duster has been released from quarantine.

The towobat and crew of 11 were released at 12 a.m. this morning. The towboat and its 17 barges of coal are again streming towards their destination of Tampa, Florida. The towboat had been quarantined since Friday afternoon.

A Mid South towing spokeswoman says that investigations by the EPA and the Mississppi Department of Agriculture have been completed. The results of the investigation have yet to be published.

Law enforcement agencies are still searching for the cropduster and a pleasure boat the plane also sprayed.

[umbra]

How big was the pleaure boat-how many people were sprayed by the crop duster?

[Dengar01]

Umm why aren't they publishing the results, if they were negative for whatever it would diminish some of the paranoia going on.

[Coop]

I think the fact that they released the boat, cargo and crew is a pretty good indication that there is no biological threat.

[umbra]

That is exactly what I was wondering, maybe since authorities havent found the crew of the sprayed pleasure boat yet they want to keep this under wraps.

This happened Friday afternoon and they are just releasing the barge today?

[Bommer]

Read the next post:

The director of the Bolivar County Emergency Management Agency, Kent Buckley, said officials suspected the sprayed substance was sodium chlorate, which is used to defoliate cotton crops and would not be dangerous if sprayed on people.

[Hodar]

So, hypothetically, if I were witnessing this, and I emptied 2 clips from my 9mm into the plane, causing it to crash (killing the pilot) how long would I spend in jail?

[thesharkboy]

I'm not sure you'd spend any time in jail. I'm no lawyer, but I'd say you'd have a strong case for self defense given the current situation.

[BearCub]

So, hypothetically, if I were witnessing this, and I emptied 2 clips from my 9mm into the plane, causing it to crash (killing the pilot) how long would I spend in jail?

Depends on where you are. Anymore, that kind of thing (spraying someone) could put a 'reasonable person' in fear for his life - justification almost anywhere except Kalifornia and the northeast.

-bc

[umbra]

I cannot believe someone was using craft on the Mississippi River for target practice even to spray anything at this point!

[umbra]

I have to believe there are some flight rules that prevent this stuff from happening after Sept. 11

[LurkedLongEnough]

I was also curious, and found a related web site that's interesting: NOTAM

[Dan Day]

So, hypothetically, if I were witnessing this, and I emptied 2 clips from my 9mm into the plane, causing it to crash (killing the pilot) how long would I spend in jail?

If I were on the jury, you'd get a medal.

[umbra]

There have to be different flight rules for a major ports with traffic going up and down the Mississippi River-Isn't there??

[Tennessean4Bush]

Umm why aren't they publishing the results, if they were negative for whatever it would diminish some of the paranoia going on.

No, they figure that is just what we would be expecting. So they are NOT releasing the results in order to cause a sustained pause while they (government officials) get all their families out of the country before they let us know the real danger. They are not telling us everything. It is a conspiracy. Run for the hills! Panic! Eject! Eject! Eject!!!!!!!!!

[ambrose]

I think the fact that they released the boat, cargo and crew is a pretty good indication that there is no biological threat.

You're right, the government would NEVER do something foolish like that.

[gold]

The towboat and tow were south of Memphis when this occurred, heading south. My guess is probably halfway between Helena, Arkansas and Rosedale, Mississippi. There's not a lot of river access in this area, but there ia a lot of farmland on both sides of the river.

We do get used for target practice alot by military planes, but usually between Natchez and Baton Rouge (from Naval Air Station in Chalmette). They use us because of our slow speed and relative size to naval targets.

I'm not sure of the normal incidence of crop dusting buzzes, but I personally have experienced the naval buzzing a number of times. Let's just assume this jerk was showboating and will pay the price for it.

[Hibernius Druid]

Law enforcement agencies are still searching for the cropduster. . .

So much for "homeland security." Your tax dollars at work.

[umbra]

From the news stories it sounded like the guy made two passses once at the coal barge and then back at the pleasure boat.

This was no accident...

[MizSterious]

Dry run for the real thing, to be performed later, maybe?

[narby]

I work with these crop duster guys for a living. I'll bet they had extra chemical, and rather than land with it and deal with the EPA regulations on getting rid of it, they just sprayed it in the river.

Probably been doing for decades, but nobody cared before.

What I'd like to know is, did the guy come directly at the tow boat and turn the spray only on them. Then proceded to the pleasure boat and spray only the boat? Or was he just spraying the whole river? Which would look more to me like he was just unloading chemical.

Keep in mind, its a very hard process to load the precise amount of chemical so that you run out right at the end of the field with nothing left to spray.

If he was unloading chemical, I'm quite sure its illegal. And he should be busted if only for that.