Lake Erie cruise ship stuck on reef Thursday, passengers evacuated

PUT-IN-BAY, Ohio — A Lake Erie cruise ship was grounded on a reef Thursday, while authorities are still trying to remove the vessel from where it became stuck.

According to Goodtime Boat – Lake Erie Island Cruises, its vessel Goodtime I got stuck on a reef around 5 p.m. Thursday. It appears to be stranded in the vicinity of South Bass Island.

Along with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and a Good Samaritan, the Coast Guard evacuated six crew members and 107 passengers from the ship. There were no reported injuries.

Now, the Coast Guard and Goodtime are working to remove the ship from the reef where it became stuck. They said they are attempting to remove fuel from the boat to make it lighter, so that it will float and become unstuck from the reef.

The Coast Guard described this as an ongoing investigation. They are still working to learn how the ship became grounded.

WTOL

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Now retired, Kent Knechtel, a former second engineer aboard the freighter Michipicoten, recounts the day a 13-foot hull crack changed everything. Thanks to calm waters, clear skies, and the swift response of the United States Coast Guard, disaster was narrowly avoided. One year later, Kent reflects with gratitude and quiet resolve on the incident that marked the end of his decades-long career sailing the Great Lakes. This video is brought to you through a partnership with Detroit Public TV’s Great Lakes Now.