The Manitoulin, a 663-foot Canadian freighter with a crew of 17, has resumed its journey to Canada after becoming trapped in Lake Erie. NBC New York reports that the vessel, which had delivered wheat in Buffalo, New York, was immobilized in the lake’s ice last Wednesday. The U.S. Coast Guard responded, working to free the freighter until Saturday.
The ship, unharmed by its time in the ice, had its crew confirmed safe after the rescue. Freighters navigating the winter waters of the Great Lakes often encounter surface ice, but sometimes the ice is too dense for ships to pass. The Manitoulin was trapped by this type of ice. In a statement to the Associated Press, Lt. Kyle Rivera of the Coast Guard described the effort to free the vessel, which involved three icebreakers cutting through more than 20 miles of ice to reach open water.
The operation involved both American and Canadian efforts, with a Canadian Coast Guard vessel helping to free the Manitoulin. As the freighter continues its journey, it will face more winter challenges through Lake Erie, before navigating the Detroit and St. Clair rivers to reach its winter berth in Sarnia, Ontario. "There is ice through other portions of the lake and the rivers, but we have another cutter that will take it through there," Lt. Rivera said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press.
Ongoing vigilance remained a priority, with the U.S. Coast Guard having a third ship on standby to assist the Manitoulin if needed. Coast Guard helicopters were also deployed to monitor the situation from the air.
