The Spirit of Alaska, owned by Cruise West, touched bottom in Tracy Arm, a popular tour destination for glacier viewing 45 miles south of Juneau. The ship's staff called the Coast Guard to report the accident at about 8 a.m., Coast Guard Petty Officer Levi Read said.
The ship is not grounded; it is anchored in the arm's Williams Cove awaiting a Coast Guard inspection, he said.
The 143-foot vessel did not take on water and did not have interior damage but is having a problem with its propulsion system, Read said.
The Coast Guard has sent a rescue helicopter from Sitka, the cutter Liberty and a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Juneau, Read said. He did not know when they will arrive.
The responders will inspect the ship's exterior for damage, he said. A passenger evacuation is not needed now, he added.
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