Ferry passengers travelling between Nanaimo and Vancouver have set sail again after being delayed this morning.
According to a press release, the Queen of Oak Bay was held in dock at Departure Bay due to a staffing issue. The 8:45 a.m. sailing was affected, said Tessa Humphries, B.C. Ferries spokeswoman, and it is operating 70 minutes behind schedule.
“We had a crew member fall ill and they required immediate attention, so our crew and team worked really hard to source a replacement crew member,” Humphries told the News Bulletin. The ferry was loaded and departed “pretty quickly” given the circumstances, she said.
#BCFHeadsUp Please be aware the #QueenofOakBay 8:45am sailing has departed the terminal. ^gl
— BC Ferries (@BCFerries) June 14, 2019
Humphries apologized for any inconvenience to passengers and said that B.C. Ferries must adhere to Transport Canada regulations, which require a specific number of crew aboard a vessel to ensure passenger safety.
“At this point in time, we’re doing our best to maintain schedule and clear traffic,” said Humphries.
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