Assets and personnel respond as a Unified Command to the Honorable James L. Oberstar for the Hay Lake Marine Casualty investigation in Sault Ste. Marie on Tuesday. The UC’s operational priorities are ensuring the safety of the public and responders, protecting wildlife and the environment, ensuring economic activities in the area are minimally affected, and the safe transit of the vessel. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard)

SAULT STE. MARIE — U.S. Coast Guard-led efforts to investigate what led the self-discharging freighter the Honorable James L. Oberstar to apparently scrape the bottom of the St. Marys River near Neebish Island Sunday continue.

The 806-foot boat, owned by the Interlake Steamship Co. of Middleburg Heights, Ohio, was upbound to Marquette carrying 29,000 net tons of limestone when it apparently hit bottom at about 3:50 p.m. Sunday.

It is currently anchored in Hay Bay, an anchorage which is a part of the St. Mary’s River, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Michael Himes, a public affairs specialist. Hay Bay is about 12-13 miles from where the apparent incident took place, he said. The boat has not taken on any water.

“We have not detected any signs” of contamination or pollution, he said. “The vessel never stopped” after ship’s personnel reported vibration.

Although the boat carries maximum 108,000 gallons of fuel oil and other materials, there was no evidence that any of it had spilled. No injuries were reported. Built in 1959 the Oberstar, has been in service for 66 years. Officials say the situation remains stable.

The U.S. Coast Guard has set up a Unified Command structure to oversee the investigation.

Besides the Coast Guard, it includes the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, Chippewa County and Interlake Steamship Company.

Support is also being provided by multiple federal, state and local agencies, along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the Bay Mills Indian Community and the city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Additionally, a survey conducted by the Army Corps concluded that the channel is safe and it has been kept open for commercial marine traffic.

Himes said the ship is surrounded by a containment boom to trap any potential pollution, should it appear. Coast guard officials have more boom at the ready should it be needed and other equipment that can be used to contain pollution.

Bud Sargent can be reached at 906-228-2500. His email address is bsargent@miningjournal.net