Overview
- The 629-foot Robert S. Pierson grounded near William G. Milliken State Park late Wednesday while carrying about 18,000 tons of stone.
- The vessel was traveling from Windsor, Ontario, to Lorain, Ohio, when it became stuck, with the initial grounding reported around 10:35 p.m. and logged to authorities at 1:17 a.m.
- Tugboats Minnesota and Ontario responded as stakeholders approved a refloat plan Thursday morning and crews worked to free the ship.
- The U.S. Coast Guard said there were no injuries, no pollution, and no impacts to other vessel traffic, and it opened an investigation.
- This marks the second grounding in the same downtown stretch of the Detroit River this month, following the Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin on Nov. 7, and at least one outlet later reported the Pierson had been freed, which others had not corroborated.