The Mississippi River level is dropping again, and barge industry trade groups warned Thursday that river commerce could essentially come to a halt as early as next week in an area south of St. Louis.

Two people working on powerlines near the Mississippi River died Thursday when their helicopter hit the lines, crashed into a barge and sparked a fire that belched plumes of black smoke, officials ...

ALTON, Ill. — Two people were killed when a helicopter crashed into a barge in the Mississippi River in Alton, Illinois, north of St. Louis. The helicopter hit transmission lines over the Mississippi ...

WEST ALTON, Mo. — A helicopter and its crew struck a power wire while working on power lines and burst into flames before falling into a barge on the Mississippi River Thursday around 11 a.m. near ...

Alton Fire Department's Marine 1, a fire and rescue boat, right, is dwarfed by the Donna H. Furlong as it extinguishes the fire of the helicopter wreckage on top of the barges filled with ethylene ...