KENTUCKY (WFIE) -
The recovery effort to bring the LST 325 back to Evansville took longer than expected, but it has been freed and officials have sent it on its way back home.
(Click here to see where the it is RIGHT NOW)
The World War II ship ran aground Monday night in the Cumberland River.
While it was grounded for two days, it started to become a spectacle for those who live in the area.
"I would never have believed that boat looked that good," said Wayne Pederson, the marina owner.
"It's probably once in a lifetime that we ever get to see something that historical, especially in Kentucky, you know," resident Jennie Bader said.
Jennie Bader and her husband, Tom, say when they heard about an old World War II ship stuck in the Cumberland River, they had catch a glimpse before it headed back to Evansville.
"When we heard about it yesterday, we had planned to come out here today to get some nice pictures, want to send them to my grandson in Michigan," Bader said.
Local marina owner Wayne Pederson says he feels bad this situation happened, but it's exciting for locals to see this piece of history.
"The people around here are really enjoying it and maybe we should just leave it there for the winter time, and we can be a tourist attraction here. Then in the spring, we'll give it back to Evansville," Pederson said.
Coast Guard Lt. Daniel McQuate says the crew of just less than 50 received some fresh supplies today including water and coffee.
He says tugboats pulled the ship into deeper water, but before that happened, an investigator determine it was safe.
"We're focused on the safety of the crew, the safety of the environment, and the safety of the vessel because this vessel was involved in the landing in Normandy. It's a piece of American history," McQuate said.
McQuate says there was a concern with a possible oil leakage, but he says they found out it was residual oil from a hose that was going overboard.
"There was no active leak from the vessel, so there's no ongoing sheens or leaks or anything like that we're aware of," McQuate said.
McQuate says the initial cause of the grounding appeared to be due to inclement weather, but they're looking into everything including any suspicious activity.
The LST 325 is now on its way back to Evansville.
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Tugboats pulled LST 325 into deeper water.
