The Forestry Forum

On the evening of May 23, 1962, a Canadian transport truck approached the ferry dock where it was to go aboard a ferry and be transported across the Saint Mary's River from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to Sault Ste. Marie, Canada (this was before the International Bridge).

The driver applied the brakes as he approaced the stop for customs. The brakes failed and to avoid crashing into the waiting line of vehicles and foot passengers in front of him, the transport driver turned the tractor and trailer to the right. The unit crashed through the fence and plunged into twenty feet of watert in the adjoining Coast Guard slip.

The driver, who jumped clear, was uninjured. The tractor, with its load of yellow birch lumber in the closed trailer, settled in the water below.

The transport remained submerged on its side for a week's time before the Canadian Transport Company was able to negotiate a salvage.

(https://forestryforum.com/images/YaBBImages/userpics/submerged_canadian_transport.jpg)

I got tons of pix like that over the years.   It would not stay there a week now days, EPA would love it!!
Andy

That's for sure. It would have been a much different kind of salvage operation with the tractor and its fuel load the first concern and not the yellow birch lumber payload.

Lumber & Transport Trailer Salvaged. The RoJo Salvage Team salvaged the 2000 board feet of yellow birch lumber from the submerged transport van. The van trailer was then brought to the surface.

The load of yellow birch lumber was picked up and taken to Canada by another transport rig. Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; May 31, 1962.

(https://forestryforum.com/images/YaBBImages/userpics/salvaged_lumber_and_trailer.jpg)

The Hercules Diesel Tractor Comes To The Surface. Sault Ste. Marie, MI; May 31, 1962.

(https://forestryforum.com/images/YaBBImages/userpics/salvage_diesel_transport.jpg)