Bulk carrier runs aground on Lake Superior reef

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The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:

The following is the text of a news report from the U.S. Coast Guard:

(SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich.) — The U.S. Coast Guard continues to monitor and respond to the motor vessel Roger Blough on Tuesday after the vessel ran aground Friday afternoon on Gros Cap Reef in Whitefish Bay in Lake Superior.

Plans continue to progress to safely free Blough from Gros Cap Reef through the combined efforts of Canadian partners, company representatives and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Salvage divers from DonJon-Smit plan to begin an underwater survey of the vessel's hull today in an effort to identify any damage Blough may have sustained during the grounding to ensure safe operations going forward.

A National Transportation Safety Board representative arrived last night and is assisting Coast Guard investigators to determine the cause of the grounding.

The preventative booming remains in place and a Coast Guard Auxiliary overflight is scheduled to take place early this afternoon with a Coast Guard pollution responder aboard.

PREVIOUS REPORT

(SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich.) — The Coast Guard continued to monitor and respond to the motor vessel Roger Blough on Monday after the vessel ran aground Friday afternoon on Gros Cap Reef in Whitefish Bay in Lake Superior.

Plans continue to progress to safely free Blough from Gros Cap Reef through the combined efforts of Canadian partners, company representatives and the U.S. Coast Guard.

In conjunction with Blough's vessel response plan, boom has been deployed around the stern, in the area of the vessel's fuel tanks, strictly as a precautionary measure to ensure the continued safety of the environment. Safety inspections also continued throughout the ship.

A Coast Guard Auxiliary air crew from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City, Mich., conducted an overflight of the area late Sunday morning and reported no signs of pollution.

Coast Guard cutter Mobile Bay remains on scene to enforce the 500-yard safety zone around Blough. The zone and salvage operations continue to have little impact on vessel traffic transiting through the area.

The chance of a fuel spill remains minimal and flooding on Blough has continued to remain stable. The crew is in good condition and their needs are being tended to as they arise.

Representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board were scheduled to arrive Monday night to assist the Coast Guard in investigating the cause of the grounding.

By Professional Mariner Staff