M/V Walter J. McCarthy Jr. is a 1000' diesel-powered lake freighter owned and operated by the American Steamship Company.

[4] The ship was built for American Steamship in 1977 and originally named Belle River.

The collision created a 7 by 4 feet (2.1 by 1.2 m) gash in the hull causing the engine room to flood.

The ship partially sank with the stern resting on the bottom in 20 feet (6.1 m) of water.

[5] In January 2022, one of the ship’s crew was injured in an accident off the coast of Gary, Indiana then later died due to the injury while in transit to the hospital.