Vehicle passengers aboard a ferry cruising in between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen were stuck on the vessel for hours Saturday after the ferryboat was harmed while docking.

The Spirit of Vancouver Island had “a hard landing” when it struck the dock in Tsawwassen about 4: 30 p.m., said B.C. Ferries communications supervisor Tessa Humphries.

” There were no injuries, but there was some damage sustained by the boat. The damage is towards the bow end of the upper car deck,” she stated.

Since 8: 50, the travelers were still on the boat.

Crews were performing welding work to decrease the ship’s ramp in order to unload travelers, Humphries stated. Vehicles on the lower vehicle deck and foot travelers were not impacted.

It was not known when the repairs might be finished.

” At this moment in time, they are still doing that work so that we can identify an option to discharge those cars securely,” Humphries said.

Ferry traveler numbers have actually been down about 80 per cent in current weeks due to COVID-19 and vessels are running at an optimum of 50 per cent capability. Humphries approximated the upper lorry deck on the boat has to do with half complete.

” We certainly do say sorry to our consumers onboard and value their persistence,” she stated.