The Coast Guard is continuing to monitor the motor vessel Roger Blough after it ran aground in Whitefish Bay off Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

 

The Coast Guard says plans continue to progress to safely free the 858-foot long vessel from Gros Cap Reef along with Canadian partners and company representatives.

 

The Coast Guard Cutter Mobile Bay, homeported in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., has arrived on scene and a 500-yard safety zone has been established around the Blough to protect passing vessels from potential hazards associated with salvage operations.

 

"Something going forward is looking at trying to figure out exactly what the damage is before we can move onto salvage," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Yaw. "The last thing that we really want to do would be to move forward with refloating the vessel and all the sudden something that was damaged and we weren't aware of and then something happening."

 

The Coast Guard says the Roger Blough has activated its vessel response plan, taking precautionary measures to ensure safety of the environment – including coordination with their oil spill response organization as well as underwater dive surveys – to more assess the damage and unground the vessel.