USCG Marine Investigators heading to Marquette today; Oberstar told it must remain in port; Officials believe a “bollard” on the dock broke off as it was connected to the ship by a cable – Sailor treated and released, is fine – Cable/bollard accident injures sailor aboard the Oberstar ore boat while in Marquette, MI

URGENT URGENT URGENT – U.P. Breaking News Bulletin – 4-26-18 – 7:07 a.m. ET

Many questions have been cleared up a knowledgeable reader on our FB newspage:
Jordan Pilarski  says about sailor:
Hes fine, Bruised and sent home.

Pilarski added:
Its not a “baller” like some basketball player. Its a spile or bollard. It took so long because the dock is a very tight and inconvenient place to maneuver down.

——

Marine investigators from the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Soo are being sent to investigate the accident that injured an ore boat sailor in Marquette, MI.

However, the USCG says it can not comment on the most important detail – the condition of the sailor. The sailor was taken to the Marquette trauma center – where is condition has not been released. His identity and hometown have not been released.

The USCG spokesman Lt. Junior Grade Officer Sean Murphy confirmed the investigators from the Soo will conduct the usual investigation when a sailor is injured in an accident.

Murphy told U.P. Breaking News that little information will be released publicly until the accident probe is completed. And maybe not then.
In the meantime, the Oberstar has been ordered to remain in port in Marquette.

In past accidents, urine and other drugs testing is conducted. The USCG investigative team is expected to arrive in Marquette sometime today.

The coast guard says preliminary information is that a “bollard” broke loose from the dock – and it and a cable apparently hit a sailor in the back, said Petty Officer Johnathon Lackey at USCG Sector Soo command.

Bollard is described as one of the points the ship is connected to the dock

——-

4-25-18 – UPDATE 10:30 p.m.

Emergency officials spent about an hour and a half on the scene. Firefighters went back in service about 10:15 p.m., the ambulance was headed to the trauma center. We have no further details on the condition of the victim.

——-

9:30 p.m. ET 

Tragedy on the Oberstar: A sailor was seriously hurt during an accident tonight on the Hon. James L. Oberstar while in port at Presque Isle dock in Marquette, MI

By Greg Peterson
U.P. Breaking News
Owner, News Director
906-273-2433

(Marquette, MI) – A terrible accident has left one sailor seriously injured aboard an ore boat at the Presque Isle Ore Dock after a cable apparently struck the man.

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Soo is expected to send investigators to probe the violent accident that was reported just before 9 p.m. ET tonight, Wednesday, April 25, 2018.

It happened aboard the Honorable James L. Oberstar, a 710-foot ship capable of hauling 25,400 tons of iron ore pellets.

Marquette firefighters and paramedics were called to the ore dock by officials manning the guard shack.
The exact nature of the accident is not known.

However, its apparently involved “a cable that came loose” hitting a sailor, a 911 dispatcher told responding paramedics aboard U.P. Health System ambulance.

Extra off-duty firefighters were called in to man one of the Marquette Fire Department halls – as the on duty firefighters are expected to be tied on the rescue.

Once removed from the freighter, the victim will be rushed to the trauma center at U.P. Health System-Marquette.

We will continue to update this story as details become available.

The USCG is expected on scene by morning.

NWS Office in Marquette this morning issues Lake Superior Gale Warning – Large Waves Expected

URGENT: LAKE  SUPERIOR GALE AND SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY

Attention all mariners:

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

MARINE WEATHER MESSAGES

National Weather Service This Morning Issues Lake Superior Gale Warning Thru Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016:

Lake Superior Gale Warning

---

URGENT - MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI
356 AM EST MON DEC 5 2016

LSZ266-267-051700-
/O.NEW.KMQT.GL.W.0038.161206T1200Z-161206T1800Z/
LAKE SUPERIOR EAST OF A LINE FROM MANITOU ISLAND TO MARQUETTE MI
AND WEST OF A LINE FROM GRAND MARAIS MI TO THE US/CANADIAN BORDER
BEYOND 5NM FROM SHORE-
LAKE SUPERIOR FROM GRAND MARAIS MI TO WHITEFISH POINT MI 5NM OFF
SHORE TO THE US/CANADIAN BORDER-
356 AM EST MON DEC 5 2016

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 1 PM EST TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MARQUETTE HAS ISSUED A GALE
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 1 PM EST TUESDAY.

* WIND AND WAVES DURING THE GALE WARNING: EXPECT SUSTAINED WINDS
  OF UP TO 25 KNOTS FROM THE SOUTH...WITH GUSTS UP TO 36 KNOTS.
  THE LARGEST EXPECTED SIGNIFICANT WAVES WILL BE 9 FEET WITH A
  MAXIMUM WAVE HEIGHT OF UP TO 13 FEET POSSIBLE.

* TIMING: THE MAXIMUM WINDS ARE EXPECTED AROUND 7 AM EST TUESDAY
  WITH THE LARGEST WAVES EXPECTED AROUND 7 AM EST TUESDAY.

PLEASE SEE THE LATEST MARINE FORECASTS FOR MORE DETAILED
INFORMATION.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A GALE WARNING MEANS WINDS OF 34 TO 47 KNOTS ARE IMMINENT OR
OCCURING. OPERATING A VESSEL IN GALE CONDITIONS REQUIRES
EXPERIENCE AND PROPERLY EQUIPPED VESSELS. IT IS HIGHLY
RECOMMENDED THAT MARINERS WITHOUT THE PROPER EXPERIENCE SEEK SAFE
HARBOR PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF GALE CONDITIONS.

&&

$$

---

URGENT - MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI
356 AM EST MON DEC 5 2016

LSZ240-241-051300-
/O.CON.KMQT.SC.Y.0142.000000T0000Z-161205T1300Z/
SAXON HARBOR WI TO BLACK RIVER MI-BLACK RIVER TO ONTONAGON MI-
356 AM EST MON DEC 5 2016 /256 AM CST MON DEC 5 2016/

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM EST /7 AM
CST/ THIS MORNING...

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM EST /7 AM
CST/ THIS MORNING.

* WIND AND WAVES DURING THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY: EXPECT
  SUSTAINED WINDS OF UP TO 26 KNOTS FROM THE SOUTHWEST...WITH
  GUSTS UP TO 32 KNOTS. THE LARGEST EXPECTED SIGNIFICANT WAVES
  WILL BE 5 FEET WITH A MAXIMUM WAVE HEIGHT OF UP TO 7 FEET
  POSSIBLE.

* TIMING: THE MAXIMUM WINDS ARE EXPECTED AROUND 4 AM EST MONDAY WITH
  THE LARGEST WAVES EXPECTED AROUND 7 AM EST MONDAY.

PLEASE SEE THE LATEST MARINE FORECASTS FOR MORE DETAILED
INFORMATION.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MEANS THAT WIND SPEEDS OF 21 TO 33 KNOTS
ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE HAZARDOUS WAVE CONDITIONS TO SMALL CRAFT.
INEXPERIENCED MARINERS...ESPECIALLY THOSE OPERATING SMALLER
VESSELS SHOULD AVOID NAVIGATING IN THESE CONDITIONS.

&&