Crews were working to free a freighter that had run aground in the Detroit River Wednesday morning, finally doing so Thursday night.
According to a tweet from the Canadian Coast Guard, the Maltese-Canadian vessel MV Harvest Spirit was being guided from the spot on the river it had been stuck in for a day and a half. The Detroit News reported Thursday night that the vessel had been getting closer to freedom.
"The vessel has been refloated and is proceeding to safe anchorage with the assistance of tugs," read the tweet. "The vessel will undergo further inspection once anchored."
https://twitter.com/CoastGuardCAN/status/1334655613276741633
The Harvest Spirit ran aground following an engine failure around 7 a.m. Wednesday in the Livingstone Channel, on the Canadian side of the Detroit River between the southern end of the Michigan island Grosse Ile, and Bois Blanc (Boblo) Island.
The vessel's predicament created a backflow of traffic heading back up the Detroit River, through Lake St. Clair, and up the St. Clair River. The Coast Guard had tweeted on Wednesday that vessels should be ready to either anchor or make other transport arrangements until the Harvest Spirit was freed.
With the freighter now anchored in Canadian waters, the Livingstone Channel was reopened to marine traffic early Friday morning.
According to the website of the ship's owner, McKeil Marine Limited, the Harvest Spirit was built in 2012 under the name MV Juliana. Originally flying the flag of Malta, the ship is 152-metres long, and is a shallow-draft, geared bulker that is equipped with four cargo holds. The freighter was then sent to Canada, patriated, and rechristened the Harvest Spirit.
