The U.S. military is working to free a Canadian ship trapped in the icy waters of Lake Erie near the Buffalo, NY shoreline.

The 663-foot Manitoulin has been trapped in the ice fields off the shore of Buffalo, New York since Wednesday.

Video grab as a Canadian cargo freighter which was had been stuck in a frozen lake for days was freed on Saturday (25).The Manitoulin, a 663-foot vessel carrying 17 crew members, became stuck in ice on Lake Erie off the coast of Buffalo,

The lake freighter Manitoulin is immobilized by thick ice in Lake Erie outside the Buffalo River breakwall as it awaits the arrival of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay which is en route from Erie, Penn. to help loosen the vessel, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Derek Gee/The Buffalo News via AP) AP

A Canadian cargo freighter which was stuck in a frozen lake for days was freed on Saturday (25). The Manitoulin, a 663-foot vessel carrying 17 crew members, became stuck in ice on Lake Erie off the coast of Buffalo,

A Canadian freighter became icebound in Lake Erie outside the Buffalo River breakwall while departing Buffalo, New York, requiring help from a U.S. Coast Guard cutter.

Canadian vessel with 17 people on board, got stuck in the ice on Lake Erie. A U.S. Coast Guard cutter from Cleveland heled free the freighter.

The Manitoulin, a 663-foot vessel, remained stuck just offshore of Buffalo, New York for the second day on Thursday. An ice-cutting barge, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay, was dispatched earlier today to help free the freighter from the snow and ice field.

It’s unclear how long it might take to cut the Canadian freighter Manitoulin out of the Lake Erie ice, which is thick this year.

According to the Associated Press, the Manitoulin, a 663-foot freighter, had dropped off a load of wheat Wednesday in Buffalo, New York, and left port to return to Sarnia, Ontario, only to be caught in rapidly forming ice later that morning near the Buffalo shoreline.

The Manitoulin, a large cargo ship, first became trapped in the ice while departing Buffalo, New York on 22 January. The US Coast Guard says that there are no safety concerns for the 17 crew members on board and another ship has been tasked to assist in breaking ice around the stuck vessel.

The lake freighter Manitoulin is immobilized by thick ice in Lake Erie outside the Buffalo River breakwall as it awaits the arrival of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay which is en route from Erie, Penn. to help loosen the vessel, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Derek Gee/The Buffalo News via AP)