Michipicoten sails to Wisconsin for repairs following June 8 incident

DULUTH, Minn. (WZMQ) – The Michipicoten will sail from Thunder Bay, Ontario, to a repair shop in Superior, Wisconsin, on Thursday.

The U.S. Coast Guard says the vessel will be accompanied by a tugboat during the voyage, which is expected to take about 18 hours. The U.S. Coast Guard says the Michipicoten will require permanent repairs after sustaining damage on June 8.

The USCG worked with Transport Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, the vessel owner, marine engineers, the National Weather Service and independent surveyors to ensure the Michipicoten arrived safely in Wisconsin. The team effort included safely unloading all cargo, conducting a thorough structural survey of the vessel, making temporary repairs, conducting extensive engineering analysis and developing a comprehensive transit plan.

The Michipicoten was diverted to Thunder Bay on June 8 after taking on water in Lake Superior. Eleven of the 22 crew members were evacuated from the vessel at the time of the incident. No injuries were reported.