By Duaa Eldeib
Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO – It may not make for good conspiracy theory fodder, but a sunken Kennedy boat sure has a certain ring to it.
River Maiden, a 59-foot steel boat registered to Max Kennedy, son of the late Robert Kennedy, sank into the north slip of Lake Michigan between Rainbow Beach and the Calumet River on June 12, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
It’s still there.
More than two months ago on that Saturday, the Coast Guard received a report around 10:30 a.m. that the boat had gone under. When the marine safety unit arrived about an hour later, River Maiden had completely capsized.
Inspectors noticed a “rainbow sheen” – sounds pretty, but it actually involves the discharge of oil in the water. Kennedy and U.S. Steel, which owns the slip, were issued an ominous-sounding “Notice of Federal Interest for a Hazardous Material Incident.”
Dan McCaffery, president of McCaffery Interests, a partner with U.S. Steel, said the company was actually only issued a copy of Kennedy’s notice.
“This is strictly Max Kennedy’s issue,” McCaffery said. “It’s floating on top (of the water) but upside down.”
Kennedy, who could not be reached for comment, flew in from Los Angeles as soon as he heard the boat had capsized to ensure there was no “environmental leakage of any sort,” McCaffrey said. He added that he heard Kennedy ordered a barge to lift the boat out of the water around Labor Day.
“I really think it’s under control,” McCaffrey said, “but it has taken a bit too long.”