Floating restaurant drifts away in flood-swollen river

Floating restaurant drifts away in flood-swollen river

 

Diners at a permanently docked floating restaurant had a nasty little surprise on the menu Friday night when the boat broke free and drifted down the rain-swollen Ohio River.

In unusually high waters, Jeff Ruby’s Waterfront floated about 100ft before coming to rest against a bridge.

Firefighters rigged up a precarious gangplank of ladders and ropes to rescue people.

Adrift: Dazed diners on board Jeff Ruby's Waterfront watch as rescue workers set about getting them one by one back on dry land

There were about 83 people on board at the time, including former Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Cris Collinsworth, who is also a NBC pro-football commentator.

It's the first time in the high-end seafood restaurant's 25-year history in Covington, Ohio, that such an incidence has occurred.

Police Lieutenant Rob Ervin said: 'We don’t know how it happened. It’s been here for years and years. It’s tough to say what caused this.'

The morning after: The restaurant had moved about 100ft before coming to rest at the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge

Three tugboats were dispatched to surround the boat and keep it from moving, Cincinnati.com reports.

Rescue personnel set up a makeshift ramp using ladders and planks to get everyone off the boat.

Because the boat hit one of the supports of the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, it was immediately closed to traffic, but reopened on Saturday morning.

The bridge is one of several linking Cincinnati with northern Kentucky.

In deep: The bridge had to be closed to survey any damage as the rescue operation got underway

Kathy Kinane, of Symmes Township, dined at the restaurant with her husband Bill when the drama unfolded. The copuple are former owners of another floating restaurant nearby.

'We felt a couple of bumps that didn’t feel right. We got up to leave and the ramp wasn’t there,' Mrs Kinane said.

'We’re familiar with the river and this just didn’t feel right. All I wanted to do was get off. 

She applauded the staff, which she said 'handled everything well,' but added: 'The evacuation could have ended a little sooner.'

Drama on the water: Three tug boats were deployed to surround the restaurant and prevent it from drifting further

Rescuers were getting women off the boat first, so she had a lengthy wait for her husband.

People were led off one by one in lifejackets.

'It was just like on TV,' Mrs Kinane said.

Restaurant owner Jeff Ruby rushed to the restaurant as soon as he got a call about the incident and went from table to table to meet with customers, cincinnati.com reports.

Asked if the high water had anything to do with what happened, Ruby said: 'We’ve been open in higher waters.'

The National Weather Service said a flood warning was in effect for the Ohio River in the area with the river at more than 3 feet above what is classified as flood stage.