2 Boats Salvaged At Olmsted

Two boats that were swept through a tainter gate at Olmsted Locks and Dam (Ohio River Mile 964.4) on July 1 have been successfully salvaged.

With the support of the salvage contractor, Okie Moore Diving and Marine Salvage, the mv. Jackie Lee Anderson was righted on July 14 and has been relocated from near the Illinois shore to the harbor for further inspection, said Katelyn Newton, Louisville Engineer District chief of public affairs.

The mv. 775 workboat was righted July 16 and was also safely moved from where it had capsized below the dam to the harbor, she said.

The investigation into what caused the mv. Jackie Lee Anderson to lose power during what was described as routine fleeting operations is still ongoing, Newton said.

After the Jackie Lee Anderson lost power, the much smaller mv. 775 workboat was able to push it against the river wall long enough for the crew to evacuate, but the current continued to push both vessels downstream, Newton said. Both were overcome by the current and swept through tainter gate 1, causing superficial damage to it. No crewmembers were injured, but emergency responders said some had to be rescued from the water.

The Jackie Lee Anderson is a 2,000 hp., twin-screw Z-drive boat built in 2023 for the district to use to maneuver wicket lifters, which raise and lower the wickets that form a dam during periods of low water. The Corps has chartered the mv. Kieffer E. Bailey, owned by Marquette Transportation Company, to assist with future wicket lifting and lowering operations.

“Throughout the effort, our team has remained focused on conducting a safe and efficient operation while maintaining the full operability of Olmsted Locks and Dam—a critical link on the nation’s inland waterways system that supports commerce and fuels America’s economy,” Newton said.