The Ludlow-Bromley Yacht Club appears to be a total loss after a barge drifted toward it and ultimately crashed into it early Wednesday morning.
Kenton County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Steve Hensley told The River City Newsthat the local landmark's owner looked at the damage and declared it to be a total loss. RCN has not spoken directly with the owner.
"Portions of the Yacht Club are sinking as we speak," Hensley said a few hours after the crash. "There are about six boats currently intertwined with each other and still attached to the barge that struck them at the center of the river channel."
The Yacht Club's usual landing spot on the Ohio River is empty at this time, according to RCN reporter Connor Wall who has been on the scene this morning.
Multiple local, state and federal agencies are investigating. Hensley said the U.S. Coast Guard is handling the investigation and that so far there is no public information available yet about what caused the barge to drift.
No one was injured, Hensley said, and all the boats are accounted for.
River traffic is also shut down at this time, Hensley said. There are no environmental concerns due to the barge's contents, he said, but the debris in the river from the crash is cause for concern, he added.
The Ludlow-Bromley Yacht Club has long been a Northern Kentucky landmark. Its summer season was scheduled to end this Sunday, Oct. 6, according to its Facebook page.
"There may be certain pieces of equipment he can salvage but he's saying right now that it looks like a total loss," Hensley said of of the owner.
This story first appeared on The River City News. RCN continues to work this story and will update with more information as soon as possible.
