Historic showboat sinking on river near Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A retired showboat docked in Pittsburgh is sinking into the Ohio River.

The Becky Thatcher was built in 1926 and used by the Army Corps of Engineers to inspect and survey rivers. Despite that, the boat also had accommodations for 65 passengers.

The boat was retired in 1961 and used as a floating restaurant and museum in Hannibal, Mo., and was later restored though its boilers and engines were removed.

Nashville entrepreneur Jeffrey Nevin bought the boat and docked it on Neville Island near Pittsburgh last fall in hopes of reopening it as a restaurant.

But the boat started taking on water Friday night and the owner is working to contact a salvage company to pull it out of the river.