PADUCAH, KY (WFIE) -
The Coast Guard has approved the movement of the Delta Mariner to a safe harbor on the Tennessee River, Monday.
Monday morning, Salvage workers successfully cut the Delta Mariner free from subsurface bridge debris, and will continue removing remaining portions of the bridge from the bow of the ship once it is safely secured a mile from its current location.
"The salvage operations are proceeding as planned, and it is a significant milestone that the ship has now been relocated downriver and clear of the Eggner Ferry Bridge," said Cmdr. Claudia Gelzer, commanding officer of Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Paducah.
A 25-foot Response Boat-Small and crew from MSU Paducah remain on site to ensure safety of salvage operations.
The Coast Guard is working closely with the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, Foss Maritime and Marshall County Sheriff's Office.
Late Thursday night the cargo ship Delta Mariner hit one of the bridge spans, knocking a section into Kentucky Lake.
The investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing.
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