Sailboat snaps mast on Connecticut River bridge
The mast of a sailboat struck the lift span of the Connecticut River Railroad Bridge as it was closing Sunday, snapping the boat's mast and causing delays on Amtrak's Northeast Regional line.
The 41-foot Hunter sailboat hit the south side of the bridge between Old Lyme and Old Saybrook just after 11 a.m., according to an employee at SeaTow Central Connecticut.
The boat hit the bridge as its operator attempted to pass underneath while the bridge was closing.
The boat's mast snapped in half and fell back onto the boat. No injuries were reported.
Amtrak spokesperson Kimberly Woods said the incident delayed three trains on the Northeast Regional line between 30 minutes and an hour.
Woods confirmed that the bridge was closing when the mast struck the lift span and snapped, and said the bridge was not damaged.
The Amtrak Police Department investigated the incident, Woods said, and added that Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection police responded to the scene.
Trains were operating normally by Sunday evening.
SeaTow Central Connecticut towed the boat to the Old Lyme Marina.
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