The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard:
(CLEVELAND) — Personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard and the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation are responding to the grounding of the 740-foot motor vessel Algobay, which ran aground in the St. Lawrence Seaway near Chippewa Bay, N.Y., at about 9 a.m. EST on July 4, 2010.
No pollution or injuries have been reported, and it has been determined to be safe for maritime traffic to pass the location of the grounded vessel at reduced speeds.
After the Coast Guard was notified, a crew from Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Massena, N.Y., arrived on scene and performed soundings and draft checks of the Canadian-flagged laker. The MSD Massena response crew found the vessel’s fuel tanks to be above the water line and that they had not been punctured.
SLSDC personnel deployed a marine crew, emergency response boat and containment boom to the area.
Algobay, carrying Canadian corn, is hard aground near Singer Castle, approximately 0.35 nautical miles west-northwest of Light 165.
The grounding of the Algobay is under investigation and the cause will not be known until the investigation is complete.
For further information regarding the SLSDC’s response to this incident, contact Vicki Garcia at 315-705-7964.
For further information regarding the Coast Guard’s response to this incident, contact Lt. Cmdr. Carl Kepper at 315-783-1975.