SAULTO STE. MARIE, Mich. (AP) — A freighter on Lake Superior struck something underwater Saturday and began taking on water, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Great Lakes Coast Guard District received reports at about 6:53 a.m. that a 689-foot (210-meter) vessel named Michipicoten had collided with something about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southwest of Isle Royale, which is part of the state of Michigan. The ship was carrying taconite, a low-grade iron ore, and had 22 people on board.
Water pumps on board began displacing water, authorities said, and there were no signs that anything had spilled from the ship. At 9:15 a.m., water pumps reduced the cargo ship’s list from 15 degrees to 5 degrees, the Coast Guard said.
Helicopter and boat crews were responding, the Coast Guard said.
The collision occurred in the northwestern part of the lake, which straddles the U.S.-Canada border and is the world’s largest freshwater lake by surface area.
