Spirit of Nantucket Cruise Ship Re-Floated

The 207-foot cruise ship Spirit of Nantucket which went aground in the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) in Virginia Beach, Va., has been re-floated and is being escorted by the Coast Guard and the Virginia Beach Police Department to the Colonna's Shipyard in Norfolk, Va. The Army Corps of Engineers located a submerged object approximately eight-feet below surface. The object is marked and will be removed. The Coast Guard is enforcing safety zone between the Great Bridge Albemarle Sound Light 25 (LLNR 37330) and the Great Bridge Albemarle Sound Light 27 (LLNR 37335). This area of the ICW is closed to all commercial vessel traffic. The area is also closed to recreational boats that have a draft of more than six-feet. There is no additional pollution associated with the grounding of the vessel. The cause of the incident is under investigation.