UPDATE: Grounded riverboat in Kentucky free after more than a week

CADIZ, Ky. (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says a riverboat that had been stuck in Lake Barkley in Kentucky for more than a week has been freed.

American Cruise Lines says its American Jazz became stuck on a sandbar last week while on a seven-night cruise between Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee.

Lt. Phillip Baxter of the Coast Guard in Paducah says the boat was left in full reverse for about three hours Friday while a towing vessel pushed on it.

After taking a break, the boat worked itself free around 3:20 p.m.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Dive operations aimed at dislodging stuck riverboat in Kentucky

July 12, 2021 Associated Press

CADIZ, Ky. (AP) — Efforts are being made to free a riverboat grounded in western Kentucky.

The Coast Guard says dive operations were approved Sunday to assess the lake bottom for salvage operations to safely dislodge the American Jazz riverboat in Lake Barkley near Cadiz.

The riverboat became stuck on a sandbar last week. It was not damaged.

The boat operated by American Cruise Lines was carrying 120 passengers and 54 crew members.

It was on a seven-night cruise between Memphis and Nashville. News outlets report the passengers were moved off the ship and transported to a Nashville hotel on Friday.