Shipping container of teddy bears pulled out of river near Montreal

An aerial view shows a ship sailing through the Port of Montreal in Montreal, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (Christinne Muschi / The Canadian Press)

A shipping container full of teddy bears that fell into the St. Lawrence River near the Port of Montreal over the weekend has been successfully removed.

An employee with the company Urgence Marine Environment confirmed the container has been pulled from the water but did not provide further details.

A spokesperson with Montreal's port said today that the container fell off a ship late Saturday during a transfer and was found the next day near Boucherville, on Montreal's South Shore.

Renée Larouche says the registry associated with the container suggested it contained stuffed animals and posed no danger to the public.

She said she wasn't exactly sure how the container would be removed, but expected it to involve heavy equipment.

Larouche said it's "very rare" for a container to be lost at the port and an investigation is underway to find out what happened.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024.