The vessel, carrying 17 crew members, got stuck near Buffalo, New York, on Wednesday morning while returning to Sarnia, Ontario, after delivering a wheat shipment. The crew onboard has been reported safe, with sufficient food and provisions available.
Due to the unusually thick ice in the area, local icebreakers and Coast Guard vessels have struggled to navigate the conditions. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay arrived in Buffalo on Thursday to assist, and efforts continued into Friday.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Bridgette Baldwin of the U.S. Coast Guard explained that the ice thickness exceeds the capability of standard icebreaking equipment.
Paul Angelillo, a civilian search and rescue specialist with the Coast Guard, noted that incidents like this are not uncommon during periods of significant ice development, citing the variability in ice formation and weather conditions as contributing factors.
Images show the Manitoulin surrounded by dense ice, stationary in the lake. Rescue operations are ongoing to free the vessel and ensure the crew's continued safety.
A 660-foot Canadian freighter, Manitoulin, became trapped in thick ice on Lake Erie earlier this week, prompting icebreaking efforts by the U.S. Coast Guard. pic.twitter.com/Mkld7kKlr7
— DECK TV (@decktvcom) January 26, 2025
Photo Credit: Peter J. Cimino / X.com
