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American Jazz dislodged from sandbar after eight daysAmerican Jazz dislodged from sandbar after eight days

After eight days stuck on a sandbar in Lake Barkley, western Kentucky, American Cruise Lines' American Jazz was refloated Friday afternoon.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

July 16, 2021

1 Min Read
CRUISE American Jazz grounded Lake Barkley
PHOTO: PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS GABRIEL WISDOM/USCG

The vessel was immediately able to get underway on its own power, according to the line. American Jazz was undergoing final US Coast Guard inspections Friday evening and once those are completed, it will continue to Nashville, Tennessee, where the next cruise is scheduled to depart July 25.

American Jazz grounded July 8 during an eight-day 'Music Cities' cruise between Memphis and Nashville.

No damage, pollution or injuries reported

No damage, pollution or injuries were reported. Mechanical systems on board remained fully operational, according to American Cruise Lines.

The US Coast Guard said there were 120 passengers and 49 crew on the boat at the time of the grounding. Tugs were called in to assist and the following day Unified Command disembarked passengers and several crew. They were then transported to Nashville where to participate in planned shore excursions.

For the past week USCG deployed resources to keep the waterway safe and coordinated efforts with the local community and the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Marine recovery experts

Marine recovery experts DonJon SMIT, Florida Marine, Luhr Bros, Moran Environmental, Three Rivers Boat Yard, Lucas Hale and Haynes Marrs and Associates all assisted in the refloating.

American Cruise Lines thanked the companies, USCG and the crew who stayed aboard. The company also acknowledged Kentucky Emergency Management Operations Area 1 Manager David Elliott, Trigg County Emergency Manager David Bryant and Deputy Manager Paula Flood. 

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American Cruise Lines

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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