The U.S. Coast Guard has requested assistance from the Canadian Coast Guard. CCGS Samuel Risley, a 229-foot icebreaker, is on ...

The 17-member crew of the freighter, stuck a mile off the Buffalo shore, was never in serious danger, but its predicament drew news media attention and a crowd of curious onlookers.

A Canadian freighter with 17 people on board got stuck in ice on Lake Erie while departing Buffalo. The Coast Guard called in icebreaking equipment Thursday to begin freeing the vessel.

Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 4.6 million tons in December, a decrease of 4.5 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments were just slightly above the 5-year average for the month.