The Sistersville ferry has been removed from the Ohio River and placed on a barge for inspection after taking on water earlier this month.
The historic ferry, which connects Sistersville, W.Va., and Fly, Ohio, began sinking April 9 under circumstances that were initially unclear. Recovery operations resumed more than two weeks later, with crews from multiple agencies working to raise the vessel.
A key asset in the recovery was the derrick boat Monallo II, a steel Whirler-type crane vessel built in 1954 in Pittsburgh, Pa. Originally constructed for the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps and later assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Pittsburgh District, the Monallo II was commissioned into federal service before eventually being decommissioned and sold to River Salvage Co., Pittsburgh, where it remains in operation today.
“Well we found out this morning when we brought it out of the water that the right rudder has been tore off of it and there’s some other damage to it that the insurance company is still assessing right now,” Sistersville Mayor Bill Rice said in comments reported by WTRF. “So once we get that done, then we can go from there on what we’re gonna do.”
Environmental officials monitored the recovery to ensure no significant fuel or fluid release into the river during salvage operations. T
“The moment she was lifted and lowered onto her own barge where she will be examined and damage estimated before the next decision is made for moving forward toward restoring ferry service across this mile marker on the Ohio River,” Sistersville officials said in a statement. “It was a long and early process today getting to this moment.”
Rice added that the city is evaluating options for restoring service, expressing confidence that the ferry will return to operation.
