Costa County

Old Sacramento River Tour Boat Sinks in Delta, Crews Working to Remove Vessel From Water

The Spirit of Sacramento, a paddle wheel tour boat that previously provided tours of the Sacramento River and the Delta, has sunk near Bethel Island in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

The U.S. Coast Guard received reports just after midnight Sunday from two people on board saying that the 87-foot-long boat was taking on water. The boat has since capsized, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Small amounts of diesel that were reportedly leaking from the vessel have been capped as of Monday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Salvage crews are now working to remove the boat from the water after a boom was successfully deployed to secure the vessel.

A salvage team will continue efforts to fish the boat out of the delta on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Coast guard.

No one was injured during the capsizing, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The Spirit of Sacramento ended its service and stopped providing tours when it was sold during a bankruptcy liquidation in 2009, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.

Contact Us