Barge strikes Mississippi River bridge

GREENVILLE, Mississippi (CNN) -- At least one barge hit the Greenville Bridge linking Mississippi and Arkansas early Wednesday, temporarily closing it to vehicles and halting traffic on the Mississippi River for an indefinite period, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said.

No injuries were reported, and the bridge reopened to vehicular traffic after inspectors determined there was no significant damage, Coast Guard Cmdr. Robert O'Brien in Memphis, Tennessee, said. The bridge, built in the early 1940s, carries traffic along U.S. 82.

However, one of the 29 barges being pushed by a towboat sank in the incident, and two others are missing.

O'Brien said river traffic will remain halted until the barges are located. The Coast Guard planned a flyover to try to find the missing barges. O'Brien said he suspects the barges may be caught up in brush on one of the nearby islands.

A bridge under construction to the south -- which eventually will replace the older bridge -- also was hit by barges that broke free, O'Brien said. He didn't know the extent of damage to the new bridge.