“There was a police incident onboard the Coastal Inspiration Thursday evening, which has had a ripple effect on service (Friday),” said Deborah Marshall, BC Ferries’ executive director of public affairs. “We had our crews work extensive, excessive hours Thursday night on two of our vessels on the Tsawwassen to Duke Point run, and as a result, we’ve had to stand them down for Friday evening sailings, due to crew fatigue.” Read more: BC Ferries cancels more sailings, others at risk due to crew shortage BC Ferries’ final sailings for Friday from Tsawwassen to Duke Point are scheduled to leave around 3 p.m. Story continues below advertisement “This has also caused some delays on the Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay run, so we will be running behind on that route as well,” Marshall said. All three of the major ferry routes from Metro Vancouver to Vancouver Island are expected to have large delays due to the police incident in Nanaimo late Thursday. BC Ferries is recommending that anyone without a reservation consider rescheduling their travel plans until Saturday. 1:56Mechanical issues cause BC Ferries cancellations, lengthy delays Mechanical issues cause BC Ferries cancellations, lengthy delays Read more: B.C. island residents worry lack of emergency ferry service putting lives at risk It all started Thursday evening with a police incident onboard the Coastal Inspiration ferry which had just left Nanaimo’s Duke Point terminal, bound for Tsawwassen. The ferry was turned around and returned to the terminal. Story continues below advertisement The incident then caused another ferry, the Coastal Renaissance, to sit and wait at Duke Point, stranding passengers for hours while the RCMP boarded the Inspiration for investigation. Nanaimo RCMP said officers were called to the ferry terminal on Thursday evening, around 9 p.m., as a vehicle passenger was reportedly “behaving erratically aboard the ferry.” 1:01Delays continue on BC Ferries Horseshoe Bay-Langdale route Delays continue on BC Ferries Horseshoe Bay-Langdale route In a news release, Const. Gary O’Brien said one person was arrested for “being intoxicated by drugs.” A second walked off the vessel and police have so far been unable to locate him. CCTV footage shows the missing man may have walked off the ferry when it returned to Nanaimo and left in a waiting taxi. “When the individual who was arrested on the ferry is sober, he will be interviewed prior to his release. At this time, there is nothing to support foul play and this incident is being treated as missing person’s investigation,” said O’Brien in the release. Story continues below advertisement Read more: Mechanical issue sidelines Queen of Surrey for 2nd day Passengers who have been waiting for hours at the Tsawwassen terminal Friday said communication from BC Ferries has been less than ideal. “We’ve been here since 5:45 a.m. for a reservation for the 7 a.m. sailing,” said Emma Keeler around 7:15 a.m. “There’s no ferry employees around to let people know what’s happening. There were cars lined up past Tsawwassen Mills. “There was no email communication for reservations either.” Long lineups in Tsawwassen caused some chaos Friday morning, as people were reportedly driving on the wrong side of the road to try and enter the ferry terminal. Keeler said three police officers arrived around 6:30 a.m. to help direct traffic. With files from Canadian Press. Related News © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
