Tug Boat Frees Freighter That Ran Aground Near Belle Isle: Officials

DETROIT — A tugboat had to free a massive freighter that got stuck along the Belle Isle shoreline Wednesday morning, officials said.

The 639-foot Mark W. Barker freighter ran aground on the island in the Detroit River at 8 p.m. after an electronics malfunction caused the ship's propulsion system, officials said.

Photos posted to social media showed the massive freighter stuck in mud and dirt along the island's shoreline.

There were no injuries, damage or immediate threats to the environment in the soft crash, officials said. A tug boat successfully removed the freighter the island's shoreline at 12:10 p.m.

The freighter will now anchor at Belle Isle so that officials can investigate to determine what caused the equipment failure, officials said.

"We worked closely with all relevant parties to ensure the safety of our waterways and the prompt resolution of this incident," Sector Detroit’s Public Affairs Officer Lt. j.g. Adeeb Ahmad said. "The successful refloating of the Mark W. Barker highlights our commitment to maintaining the safety and continuity of our maritime transportation system."

The freighter left Detroit at 7 a.m. and was on its way to Milwaukee with roughly 21,000 metric tons of salt and 105,000 gallons of diesel fuel, officials said.