Two BC Ferries sailings between Victoria and Vancouver were cancelled on Monday due to a mechanical issue onboard the Coastal Celebration vessel.
The 10 a.m. sailing departing from Swartz Bay and the noon sailing departing from Tsawwassen were cancelled Monday because of a problem with the Coastal Celebration’s propulsion system, according to BC Ferries.
Several other sailings were at risk of cancellation Monday afternoon, but crews managed to fix the issue before the other sailings had to be cancelled.
The 2 p.m. sailing departing from Swartz Bay was delayed by about 30 minutes because of repairs, but the remainder of the schedule was expected to run without issue.
BC Ferries told CHEK News that oil was detected coming from the propeller hub of the Coastal Celebration, prompting the mechanical concerns.
“An underwater dive is planned for tonight in order to make a full assessment of the extent of the damage and develop a detailed repair plan,” said BC Ferries spokesperson Karen Johnston in a statement Monday afternoon.
The delays come just weeks after the Coastal Celebration underwent an extended refit in late June.
The ferry was expected to return to service on June 15 after its annual refit. However, an “unplanned extended refit” kept the vessel in dry dock until early July.
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Adam Chan
