The general cargo ship Onego Otra was refloated on 26 July after remaining grounded in the St. Lawrence River for nearly four weeks. Three Ocean Group tugboats then towed the vessel to Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, for inspection.
The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged ship left Montreal on 30 June with a grain cargo bound for New Orleans. A rudder failure caused the 146 m vessel to leave the main navigation channel and run aground in shallow water off Île Saint-Ours near Contrecoeur.
Commercial traffic on the St. Lawrence River continued because Onego Otra was outside the main navigation fairway. The Canadian Coast Guard established safety boundaries around the salvage area and required pleasure craft to remain at least 250 m from the vessel.
Salvage crews initially reduced the ship’s draft by transferring grain to barges. Using the vessel’s onboard cranes, they removed between 2,270 and 2,720 tonnes of cargo on 12 and 13 July.
An eight-hour towing attempt involving several tugboats on 14 July did not free the vessel. Crews subsequently carried out a second lightering operation and unloaded another 2,400 tonnes of grain.
At approximately 2:00 p.m. on 26 July, the tugboats Ocean Comeau, Ocean Intrepide and Ocean Clovis T pulled Onego Otra into deeper water. The vessel was then towed to Sorel-Tracy and berthed at around 4:00 p.m. that day.
The Canadian Coast Guard reported no injuries among the crew and no environmental pollution. Marine surveyors and divers are examining the hull, rudder and propulsion machinery before a decision is made on whether the vessel can reload its cargo and continue to the United States.
