Mississippi River reopens north of St. Louis after fatal helicopter crash

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.S. river, a major shipping waterway for crops and other goods, reopened on Thursday night near Alton, Illinois, except for in a safety zone that extends 450 feet from the shore between mile marker 199.5 and mile marker 200.5, according to the Coast Guard.

The safety zone is an area where vessels cannot enter.

The Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday that there were two people on board when the helicopter crashed and the National Transportation Safety Board would lead an investigation into the incident.

(Reporting by Tom Polansek, Editing by Franklin Paul)