Ship with university staff board runs aground in Arctic

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. – A research vessel in the Canadian Arctic carrying four people from the University of Rhode Island had run aground but school officials are saying all four people are safe.

A university spokeswoman says a URI professor, graduate student and two professional staff were aboard the One Ocean Expeditions’ vessel Akademik Ioffe that became grounded in the Gulf of Boothia on Friday.

All passengers and expedition members are safe, and there are no reports of injuries or environmental concerns.

Among the 36-member team was four URI Graduate School of Oceanography staff: Brice Loose, professor of oceanography and chief scientist of the expedition; Holly Morin, team co-ordinator and marine mammal scientist; Alex DeCiccio, video producer; and graduate student Zachary Kerrigan.

The three-week expedition was designed to explore the changing Arctic Ocean.