Canadian Bulk Carrier Hard Aground in St. Marys River

The motor vessel Mississagi sits aground in the lower St. Marys River near De Tour Village, Mich., April 22, 2015. U.S. Coast Guard Photo

The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to a 603-foot bulk carrier which ran aground in the St. Marys River near De Tour Village, Michigan, early Wednesday.

The Canadian-flagged MV Mississagi, carrying a load of stone, was transiting downbound the St. Marys River from Bruce Mines, Ontario, when it ran aground in the Potagannissing Bay approximately 4 miles northeast of De Tour Village, the Coast Guard said.

There are no reported injuries to the crew and no reported pollution.

The master of the MV Mississagi notified a watchstander at Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste Marie, Michigan at about 1 a.m. that the carrier was hard aground on shoal water in the vicinity of De Tour Village.

The bow of the vessel is aground and the fuel tanks are located near the stern of the vessel. An overflight Wednesday morning confirmed no pollution from the vessel.

Vessel navigation in the St. Marys River is currently unimpeded, the Coast Guard said, although a 500-yard safety zone has been estalished around the vessel.

Coast Guard marine inspectors from Sector Sault Ste Marie will board the vessel to survey the damage.

The crew of the Mississagi is working with the Northeast Tech Salvage Company to create a salvage plan.

The 17,500 DWT Mississagi is owned by Lower Lakes Towing Ltd.

The grounding of the Mississagi follows the grounding of a Polsteam bulk carrier Juno on the St. Lawrence River on Monday. That accident has been blamed on a steering malfunction.

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