Lake Erie ferry runs aground, stranding 33

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KINGSVILLE, Ontario, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Thirty-three people were stranded overnight after their ferry ran aground on a sandbar in low water on the Canadian side of Lake Erie, officials said.

The Pelee Island ferry was coming into port at Kingsville, Ontario, Thursday afternoon when it struck the sandbar. It was carrying 18 passengers, including a father and an infant, 15 crew members, along with a haul of soybeans and grapes, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

A tugboat from Detroit arrived at 8:30 a.m. Friday to inspect the ship to ensure its hull had not been breached before towing it into port. Strong winds and high swells made transporting the passengers off the boat impossible overnight, the CBC reported.

The ferry provides food service and its operators said there were enough provisions to safely keep the passengers aboard through Friday night. Some passengers tweeted pictures of the cake they were served for dinner Thursday.