The Mississippi River has reopened to vessel traffic north of St. Louis after closing because a helicopter crashed into a barge on Thursday, killing two people, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Friday. The interior U.

Two people died when a helicopter crashed into a barge in the Mississippi River near East Alton, Illinois, north of St. Louis, on Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

A helicopter flying over the Mississippi River ran into a powerline Thursday, then crashed into a barge and sparked a fire, killing two people, officials said.