Working Conditions Aboard the Wilf-Seymour

**Title: Tugboat 'Wilf Seymour' Accidentally Cuts Underwater Power Lines, $300,000 in Damages Incurred** In an incident involving the tugboat 'Wilf Seymour', based in Hamilton, Ontario, a U.S. Coast Guard investigation has revealed that the vessel unintentionally severed four underwater power lines belonging to National Grid on May 1, 2025. This unfortunate incident resulted in an estimated $300,000 worth of property damage. At the time of the accident, the 'Wilf Seymour' was navigating Canadian waters while towing a 400-foot deck barge. Due to an unexpected deployment of the anchor, the tug experienced reduced maneuverability. The crew observed noticeable damage to the anchor flukes, which prompted immediate notification to the Marine Safety Unit Thousand Islands shortly after the incident. Following a thorough examination in June, including a review of the vessel’s logs, the Coast Guard confirmed that the 'Wilf Seymour' was indeed responsible for the severance of the power lines that traverse underwater between Clayton and Dark Island. Fortunately, investigators concluded their report without uncovering any signs of misconduct or negligence on the part of the crew. In response to the damage, National Grid undertook significant repairs, including the replacement of 17,600 feet of cable and additional work on power lines connecting Clayton to Hammond. Power restoration efforts were swiftly executed, with electricity being fully restored by May 3, just two days after the incident occurred.

The operation to refloat the barge "Alouette Spirit" on the St. Lawrence River, where it ran aground on Dec 25, 2017, being pushed by the "Wilf Seymour", has started, and it may be back into deep waer next week thanks to the rise of the water level. The salvors were transferring a part of the 13,000 tonnes of aluminum ingots it was carrying to another barge. The bailout plan submitted by the owner of the barge McKeil Marine has been approved by Transport Canada and the Coast Guard durnig the recent days. After several failed salvage attempt, the owner had decided to wait until the end of March for the water level to rise before refloating the barge.

The "Wilf Seymour" and the barge "Alouette Spirit", stranded in Lake St. Pierre at Louiseville since Dec 25, 2017,will not be refloated until next spring. This decision was made by the owner company McKeil Marine. There would simply be too much ice for other tugs and barges to approach the grounded vessels to remove some of the cargo and tow it. The barge was carrying 1.3000 tons aluminum ingots bound from Sept-Iles to New York State. There was no risk for the environment if the ships are left there until spring, and they will not cause navigation problems in the area nor are endangered to suffer damage. French report with photo: https://www.lenouvelliste.ca/actualites/lalouette-spirit-restera-echoue-jusquau-printemps-a10f9adcf59543bd4bb6df34bbf6571f

The "Wilf Seymour" and its barge stranded in Lake St. Pierre, at the height of Louiseville, will stay there for at least a few more days. The McKeil Marine needed more time to assess the conditions in the area. The weather conditions and the presence of ice were making operations very difficult. There will be no choice but to unload some of the cargo before making new bailout attempts. The barge and its cargo of aluminum ingots weigh about 13,000 tons. The "Wilf Seymour" and the barge "Alouette Spirit" have been stranded in Lake Saint-Pierre since Christmas Day after having left Sept-Îles for Oswego, New York. Previous attempts to free the barge from the mud did not work because it was too low in the water. The cause of the grounding was still under investigation, but said the weather and visibility were poor on December 25 morning. An electrical fault had caused problems with navigational instruments. Ship traffic was not impeded by the presence of the tug and the barge, but vessels passing nearby must slow down. French report with photo: http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1075888/wilf-seymour-large-lac-saint-pierre-mauricie