Fourth tug joining effort to free ship

Crews are still working to free the CSL Assiniboine, a ship that ran aground Monday off the Canadian shore of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Three tugboats were unable to free the ship Wednesday. Crews began unloading some of the ship's cargo of grain onto a barge before trying again, still without success.

"They are still trying to move the vessel," aid Andrew K. Bogora, spokesman for Canada's St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. "Progress is modest at this point in time."

Crews worked all day Wednesday to try to free the downbound ship, but were forced to stop after sunset. A fourth tugboat is on its way to continue the efforts today.

"Should that vessel still be moored, you may see four tugs working in unison to free it," Mr. Bogora said.

The 30,000-ton ship started to drift off course because of engine problems on Monday and got stuck on a shoal several miles east of the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge. The vessel is not blocking Seaway traffic.

It is uncommon for ships to beach themselves like this, according to Mr. Bogora. The most recent before this was two or three years ago.