The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(LAKE TAHOE, Calif.) — Coast Guard Sector San Francisco and a commercial salvage team successfully removed the Tahoe Queen, a riverboat-style passenger vessel, from a sandbar off Regan Beach in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., on Tuesday afternoon.
Watchstanders at Sector San Francisco received a report Monday at 3:37 p.m. from Coast Guard Station Lake Tahoe that a passenger vessel, Tahoe Queen, ran aground with 296 passengers aboard. Rescue boat crews from Station Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe Police, Douglas County Sheriffs, El Dorado County Sheriffs, and Vessel Assist transferred all passengers and non-essential crew from the Tahoe Queen to shore at Ski Run Marina in South Lake Tahoe.
"An investigation is underway looking at all possible contributing factors, just one of which could be lower than average water levels," said Cmdr. Andrew Williamson, chief of prevention at Sector San Francisco. "At all times, boaters need to exercise caution when operating in Lake Tahoe, especially during these potentially lower than normal water levels."
Around 5:30 pm, four commercial salvage boats rotated Tahoe Queen into an optimum position, then towed the vessel into deeper water. The distressed vessel was then able to transit back to the Ski Run Marina under its own power.
PREVIOUS REPORT
(ALAMEDA, Calif.) — The Coast Guard and numerous county and local response agencies assisted in removing 296 people aboard a passenger vessel that ran aground in the vicinity of Tahoe Keys, Calif., Monday afternoon.
At approximately 3:37 p.m., Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders received a notification from Coast Guard Station Lake Tahoe of a passenger vessel, Tahoe Queen, with approximately 296 passengers that ran aground. Rescue boat crews from Station Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, Douglas County, El Dorado County and Vessel Assist transferred all passengers and non-essential crew from Tahoe Queen to shore at Ski Run Marina in South Lake Tahoe. No injures were reported.
"Because we frequently work with the local agencies during training drills and search and rescue cases, we were able to effectively collaborate and resolve the situation," said Petty Officer 1st Class Laura Bostwick, a boatswain's mate at Station Lake Tahoe. "Once on scene, everyone worked seamlessly together to safely transfer the passengers ashore."
Station Lake Tahoe rescue crews are still on scene monitoring the situation, and vessel inspectors and investigators are en route to determine the integrity of the vessel, provide oversight of salvage efforts, and investigate to determine the causative factors of the grounding.
