Truck plunges from I-40 bridge into Tennessee River

WAVERLY, Tenn. Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ? Rescue divers searched the Tennessee River Monday for the driver and any possible passengers in a tractor-trailer that plunged over the side of an Interstate 40 bridge.

The eastbound truck went out of control around 11 a.m. CST and struck a guardrail before going off the bridge and falling about 100 feet into the river, said Capt. Danny Wilson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The tractor was completely submerged in the river, while the trailer became disconnected and drifted about 400 feet down the river, he said.

Divers using sonar continued to search the river after nightfall, but attempts to raise the vehicle were suspended until Tuesday. The operation was still being treated as a rescue, rather than a recovery, Wilson said.

Authorities did not know the registration or affiliation of the truck, but it was believed carrying food products. Some packages of Chinese food were found in the water.