Ferry backs into float plane dock

Doug Christensen couldn’t believe his eyes Wednesday night, as he watched the MV Coho ferry move closer and closer to his suite in the Regent Hotel.

Christensen and his family, who live in Ottawa, had just arrived for their regular stay at the Regent, so the Coho departing was not an unfamiliar sight. When it didn’t start pulling ahead like it normally does, Christensen knew something was wrong.

“It kept getting closer and closer. I said to the kids, ‘ I think that’s going to hit the hotel or at least the rocks in front of the hotel,’ ” Christensen said.

“It kept coming closer and closer. Then the people on the top deck of the Coho started running toward the bow — away from the impact because they could see it coming. ... She kept coming back farther and farther and then crashed all the docks just like they were kindling or toothpicks. Just the noise of it and the docks flipping upside down in the air and some of the big 100- gallon tanks going up in the air. It was unbelievable.”

The ferry apparently lost control about 7: 30 p. m. and smashed into the former Hyack Air dock while backing up in preparation to leave Victoria Harbour.

The damage was surprisingly minor. A long dock where float planes were tied up was broken into three pieces and had to be secured. There were no injuries and no planes or boats were damaged.

The 104- metre Coho continued on its journey to Port Angeles, Wash., shortly after the collision, and maintained its four scheduled crossings of the strait on Thursday.

Officials are now trying to determine why the ship, which has made thousands of visits to Victoria, hit the dock.

Conditions were windy at the time, but Ryan Burles, president of Black Ball Ferries, the company that runs the MV Coho, says the captain is a 15- year veteran and the crew is very experienced.

A Transport Canada investigation has been launched.

The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority announced three weeks ago it had bought the Hyack Air float plane terminal and docks.

Curtis Grad, Harbour Authority CEO, said from their standpoint it’s a property damage claim the Coho’s owners will put to their insurer.