18-wheeler still in Pearl River, driver still missing, some traffic blocked

The driver of an 18-wheeler that plunged into the Pearl River after an accident on Tuesday night has not yet been found by a rescue team, and officials are trying to pull the 18-wheeler out of the water between two bridges.

Westbound traffic on Interstate 10, where the accident involving two 18-wheelers first occurred, is down to one lane, but the eastbound lanes of the interstate are blocked as officials work to extract the vehicle that appears to be stuck in between the eastbound and westbound bridges.

The other 18-wheeler involved in the accident was towed away from the scene and was not in the water. The condition of the driver is not known at this time.

West Hancock Volunteer Fire Department Chief Kim Jones said the wreck occurred near the Mississippi-Louisiana border.

Witnesses first reported a truck was also involved in the accident, but dive teams and rescue crews have found no evidence of that vehicle's involvement in the crash.

Drivers traveling westbound on Interstate 10 near the state line should expect heavy delays. Eastbound drivers should find an alternate route into Mississippi until the scene is cleared, which is expected to be several more hours, according to MDOT in a media update issued at 5 a.m.

No fatalities have been confirmed at 1:15 a.m. Wednesday.

Sun Herald will update this story as more becomes available.

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 10:59 PM with the headline "18-wheeler still in Pearl River, driver still missing, some traffic blocked."