Freighter that ran aground in Detroit River near Belle Isle immortalized on Google Maps
A freighter that ran aground on the Detroit River near Belle Isle last year is, for now, immortalized in satellite images on Google Maps.
The Mark W. Barker was marooned near the east end of Belle Isle not far from the Dossin Great Lakes Museum and freed after several hours after running aground on May 17, 2023. But not before it was photographed from the sky forever. Or, at least, until the next Google Maps image is photographed.
The freighter, longer than two football fields and loaded with about 20,000 metric tons of rock salt, was christened in 2022 and was the first large bulk carrier built on the Great Lakes since 1981.
The Barker wasn't the only ship that ran aground in 2023.
Related: Why do freighters keep getting stuck in Detroit, St. Clair rivers?
The 623-foot freighter Barbo G got stuck in late November after it drifted into the Detroit River and its bow thrusters were determined inoperable. The Portuguese ship was carrying 21,000 tons of wheat and headed to Italy when its voyage was unexpectedly interrupted. The rescue effort took three tugboats.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mark W. Barker freighter stuck near Belle Isle seen on Google Maps
