A significant incident occurred on Wednesday in the Detroit River, as a large freighter carrying salt ran aground, creating a spectacle near the shores of Belle Isle, a popular state park.

Although freighters commonly traverse the waterway, they rarely approach land as closely as the Mark W. Barker did, the Associated Press reported.

Measuring nearly 650 feet (200 meters) in length, its unexpected presence caught the attention of onlookers at Belle Isle, as reported by The Detroit News.

The U.S. Coast Guard explained that the freighter lost propulsion due to an electronics malfunction and became stuck in mud and sand around 8 a.m.

Prompt action was taken, and a tugboat successfully freed the vessel around noon with relative ease.

However, as a precautionary measure, the freighter will remain anchored in the river for inspection, as confirmed by Lt. j.g. Adeeb Ahmad.

Fortunately, there were no concerns regarding vessel traffic, and no injuries were reported. Ahmad reassured, “For such an unfortunate event, it was the best-case scenario. It happened right next to our Coast Guard station on Belle Isle.”

Written by staff