US and Canadian officials have launched an investigation after a 689-foot ship collided with an underwater object and began taking on water in Lake Superior, as reported by the US Coast Guard. The incident occurred on Saturday morning, when the bulk carrier Michipicoten sent out a distress call stating that it was experiencing flooding while it was southwest of Isle Royale in Lake Superior.

The Michipicoten, loaded with taconite, a type of low-grade iron ore, had a crew of 22 members on board. Following the incident, half of the crew was safely removed from the vessel, and no injuries were reported.

As of Sunday, the ship is currently anchored in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and will remain there until Canadian agencies determine it is safe to bring it to a dock. Lorne Thomas, the external affairs division chief for the Ninth Coast Guard District, confirmed this information.

In order to determine the cause of the hull damage, the US Coast Guard and Transport Canada will conduct marine casualty investigations. They will examine whether the ship ran aground, hit a fixed or floating object, experienced hull failure, or a combination of these factors, according to Thomas.

According to MarineTraffic.com, the ship had departed Two Harbors, Minnesota, on Friday and was en route to Thunder Bay in Canada at the time of the incident.

Authorities will continue their investigation into what led to the collision, with the aim of ensuring the safety and integrity of vessels navigating in the Great Lakes region.