Topic starter
12/12/2013 6:28 pm
Not exactly a happy one to remember, but certainly significant: on Dec. 12, 1985 the MISSISSIPPI QUEEN sank after hitting the CRIMSON GLORY near Donaldsonville, La. None of the reports ever used the term 'sank', but since her bottom was resting on the bottom(in this case a sandbar), of the river, that qualifies to me as 'sank'. While it was a devastating accident, there were only a few injuries (reportedly suffered on land as the passengers partied while awaiting transportation to NOLA), and the MQ was taken to Avondale, repaired, and resumed cruising some 3 months later.
I remember being on the phone all evening trying to ascertain what was going on, and my mother was upset because she wanted to call my sister on her birthday. I remember commenting something like: birthdays happen every year, a steamboat sinking doesn't!