SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Authorities say they’ve tried several times to tow a casino boat that ran aground off Georgia’s coast, but the attempts failed when the tow lines broke.
Petty Officer 1st Class Lauren Jorgensen says crews now plan to put passengers onto Coast Guard boats that can hold about eight people, then transfer them to a larger vessel.
The Escapade casino boat ran aground on rocks off Tybee Island, near Savannah and south of Hilton Head, South Carolina, overnight and remained stranded Wednesday afternoon.
The Coast Guard says no injuries are reported among the 96 passengers and 27 crew members.
Jorgensen says the initial report from the Escapade’s crew was about a malfunction of the chart plotter, part of the navigation system.
Florida-based Tradewinds Casino Cruise operates the Escapade and didn’t immediately respond to phone messages.
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