Anna Desgagns sealift already off schedule, stuck near Montreal

A sealiftshipthat's scheduled to arrive in Nunavutlater this month is stuck in the St. Lawrence River.

The M/VAnna Desgagns was on its way to L'les-aux-Coudres, Que., 116 kilometres from Quebec City, when it went aground in the St. Lawrence River near Montreal.

The Transportation Safety Board has sent a team to Montreal to investigate exactly what happened.

The cargo vessel has scheduled stops in northern Quebec and Nunavut; its first isL'les-aux-Coudres. The vessel issupposed to arrive inIqaluit by July 23.

Many people in Nunavut communities are dependingon the arrival of the Anna Desgagns for various items.

"Oh no, our car is on that," said Holly Uvilluk on Facebook.

With no roads into Nunavut, goods can only be sent in by air or ship.

No word on how quickly the Anna Desgagns willget moving again.

Meanwhile the first icebreaker into Iqaluit, theCCGSPierre Radisson, is set to arriveMonday. It was originally supposed to arrive this weekend, according to the Canadian Coast Guard, but arrival dates can change quickly along with theice conditions in Frobisher Bay, the body of water that leads to Iqaluit.

• Ice damages hull of sealift ship near Iqaluit

As itsname suggests, icebreakers break the ice that's still formed in the Arctic sea, so vessels like the Anna Desgagns can make their way into the communities.