A bulk cargo ship became trapped near the shoreline of Belle Isle Park Wednesday morning, creating a spectacle for park goers who snapped photos and cast fishing lines in the shadow of the massive freighter.
The 639-foot ship ran aground on the eastern shore of the island near the Dossin Great Lakes Museum around 8 a.m. after it lost propulsion, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Lt. Junior Grade Adeeb Ahmad who said that the M/V Mark W. Barker hit soft mud and sand. There is no damage to the island, he said, and no injuries to crew members on the cargo ship.
The M/V Mark W. Barker became lodged near the shoreline of Belle Isle Park on the Detroit River on May 17, 2023. (BridgeDetroit photo by Malachi Barrett)
Ahmad said there is no concern of damage to the hull or pollution impacts. The Detroit River remains open to commercial and recreational boat traffic. Coast Guard investigators are assessing the situation and cause of the crash.
“For something that is unfortunate, this is the best-case scenario,” Ahmad said.
The Mark W. Barker is owned by the Interlake Steamship Company and built in 2022. Ahmad said it was headed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, through the Great Lakes. It was designed to navigate tight river bends.
A fisherman casts his line into the Detroit River as a bulk cargo ship is trapped ashore on May 17, 2023. (BridgeDetroit photo by Malachi Barrett)
A witness, who asked not to be identified, said he saw the ship turning in a narrow stretch of the Detroit River between Belle Isle and Canada. The freighter appeared to rest at nearly a 45-degree angle with its front facing the island park.
Ahmad said the Coast Guard is assessing how to free the ship. A spokesperson for Interlake could not be immediately reached for comment.
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