TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. — The casino boat Escapade is moored at its homeport and is no longer aground in Calibogue Sound near Tybee Island Thursday.
The 174-foot vessel freed itself under its own power at high tide about 12:45 p.m. without the use of commercial salvage boats and transited to its homeport at Bull River Marina in Savannah, Georgia, where it is currently moored.
Two Coast Guard marine inspectors boarded the Escapade after it became free and conducted a damage assessment before the vessel returned to its mooring at Bull River Marina.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Tybee Island were notified at 12:15 a.m., Wednesday the Escapade ran aground with 94 passengers and 31 staff and crewmembers aboard Tuesday night during the ship’s maiden voyage.
Coast Guard crews from Station Tybee Island, Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, Georgia, and the Coast Guard Cutters Tarpon and Maria Bray worked together to remove 118 passengers and non-essential crew and staff from the Escapade Wednesday afternoon.
Photos of the response are available here.
The cause of the incident remains under Coast Guard investigation.
