Shipping company explains viral video

The president of a shipping company said the fisherman who captured a freighter heading toward the Port Huron boardwalk wasn't the only one rather excited Monday night.

"The crew on board were excited," said Brian Ritchie, president of Rigel Shipping.

Port Huron resident Chad Rickert posted the video on Facebook, showing him quickly moving his fishing gear before fleeing from the railing as the lights of the freighter moved closer.

The video had more than 41,000 views as of shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday. Rickert could not be immediately reached for comment.

Ritchie said the captain of the Jana Desgagnes provided the ship managing company with a full report.

NOTE: The video contains strong language.

He said a pilot was aboard the vessel when an incorrect command was given out to go to port when it should have been starboard.

Ritchie said the captain was on the bridge and quickly corrected the error.

"We can't deny it was what we call a near miss," Ritchie said. "It was a close call and we don't like those."

He said the pilot who made the error had been on the vessel before.

"What's puzzling about the whole thing is, as far as we're concerned, the pilot is a very competent pilot," Ritchie said.

He said the vessel is carrying clean refined oil and heading to Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Dan Gallagher, president of Lakes Pilots Associaion, said they did not have a pilot aboard the vessel. He said it is possible it was a Canadian pilot.

Contact Liz Shepard at (810) 989-6273 or lshepard@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @lvshepard.