Ferry lifted from Great St. James Cay rocks
Published: August 15, 2011
Font size: [A] [A] [A]
The ferry Royal Miss Belmar was plucked off the rocks at Great St. James Cay on Saturday by a crane on a barge.
The 100-ton passenger ferry was grounded on the rocks after a special night run on July 4 from the St. John Festival destined for St. Croix.
The vessel is being salvaged by a private company, according to U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Ricardo Castrodad.
The Royal Miss Belmar is a fast ferry designed to transport 300 passengers at speeds in excess of 30 mph according to the V.I. SeaTrans website. SeaTrans operates the ferry.
Diesel was drained from the ferry shortly after the vessel was grounded, Castrodad said.
There were 98 passengers and four crew members aboard the ferry when it crashed on the night of July 4. No one was seriously injured, but all passengers and crew were treated at Schneider Hospital and most suffered only minor lacerations.
To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.
Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.
