Severe storm moves century-old Iron Scow shipwreck closer to edge of Niagara Falls
A storm surge is pushing a century-old shipwreck to the edge of Niagara Falls ... but will it tip over the edge? Photo: Getty
Will it or won’t it go over the Falls?
A historic ship that was marooned for over 101 years has in recent days edged closer to Niagara’s treacherous falls.
High winds and rain last Thursday dislodged the ship for the first time in a century, before it got stuck again, a historian with the Niagara Parks Commission said.
“We think it’s about 50 metres down the river from its original location,” Jim Hill, senior manager of heritage for Niagara Parks, said in a video posted online, adding that the vessel “flipped on its side and spun around”.
Its future and whether it will go over the edge is uncertain, as severe and changing weather could move it again.
The ship, known as the Iron Scow, is a famous feature of Niagara Falls, which straddle the US-Canadian border.
The ship broke loose from a tug on August 6, 1918, leaving two men stranded on board, according to Niagara Parks.
In one of the most dramatic rescue efforts in the history of Niagara Falls, the two crewmen, Gustav Lofberg, 51, and James Harris, 53 were rescued the following day.
Since then the ship had been stuck in the rocks about 600 metres from the edge of Horseshoe Falls.
Niagara Parks Chief Executive Officer David Adames told The New York Times he had “thought it would be there for all time”.
The century-old ship sits grounded in the upper rapids above the Horseshoe Falls. Photo: The Canadian Press
It looks secure at the moment, however, if there’s severe weather that comes along, it may shift it some more.”
Every year, millions of tourists visit Niagara Falls, which is made up of three waterfalls spread across the United States and Canada.
