Great Lakes ship collides with something below surface. Taking on water

[Foxfyre]

Michipicoten collides with something in Lake Superior, taking on water

The U.S. Coast Guard reports the Michipicoten collided with something underwater on Lake Superior and is taking on water.

www.wdio.com

The U.S. Coast Guard reports the Michipicoten collided with something underwater on Lake Superior just before 7 a.m. Saturday and is taking on water.

The ship is approximately 35 miles southwest of Isle Royale.

The Coast Guard says a Traverse City helicopter and Bayfield boat crews are on route.

According to the USCG, the Michipicoten is carrying taconite, and none has been spilled yet. The ship reportedly has pumps on board to remove some of the water coming on.

The Edwin H. Gott is also on route to the Michipicoten.

The ship has been in service since 1952.
It's in about 500' of water.
It's carrying taconite.

Taconite - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I'll get this out of the way.

Taconite in and of itself isn't toxic so that doesn't present a severe environmental issue. (The processing of taconite can be quite toxic though.) But hopefully they can get the ship to shore before it sinks.

 

[1srelluc]

The CG took off half her crew in case she goes down later.

 

[1srelluc]

Update:

 

[my2¢]

I read that ship was built in 1952, time for the scrap heap I'd guess.

Thanks for the heads up on this 1srelluc. Growing up I always lived near the Great lakes and for a few of those years within 8 miles of the Welland Canal (which ore ships use as connection between lakes Erie and Ontario).

 

[The Duke]

Wonder if it could have been a giant Dead head? one of those logs floating vertically in the water with one end sticking upwards.




That or a North Korean Sub

In The Great Lakes?

Update:

Looks like they're tearing it down there.

They got 'er in, though. I'd call that a win.

 

[The Duke]

The iron ore reference is real.

 

[martybegan]

I read that ship was built in 1952, time for the scrap heap I'd guess.

Thanks for the heads up on this 1srelluc. Growing up I always lived near the Great lakes and for a few of those years within 8 miles of the Welland Canal (which ore ships use as connection between lakes Erie and Ontario).

Freshwater ships in the great lakes can last far longer than saltwater oceangoing vessels.

 

[martybegan]

Freshwater ships in the great lakes can last far longer than saltwater oceangoing vessels.

As an example of longevity, a ship launched in 1906 is still be used as a barge after having the powerplant and superstructures removed.

SS St. Marys Challenger - Wikipedia

After a 107-year-long working career as a self-propelled boat, she was converted into a barge and paired with the tug Prentiss Brown as an articulated tug-barge.[1] Before conversion, she was the oldest operating self-propelled lake freighter on the Great Lakes, as well as being one of the last freight-carrying vessels on the Great Lakes to be powered by steam engines.

 

[whitehall]

What's the cargo? I hope it isn't oil.

 

[Unkotare]

Old Ironsides is still afloat!