The maiden voyage of the Toronto Port Authority’s new ferry to the island airport didn’t go as well as plan — it crashed. According to City TV, the captain experienced some kind of medical problem just as the vessel came in to dock at the harbour, and the ship suddenly hit a breakwall beside the boat it was heading for. Shouts of, “I don’t think he sees it! He doesn’t even know it! Hold on! Hold on!” could be heard before the ship hit the concrete just before noon.
Subsequent reports say the captain suffered a panic attack after the blue smoke from fireworks, used to celebrate the launch, clouded his vision and eventually losing control of the ship.
The mishap turned what was supposed to be a 90-second crossing of the gap between the mainland and Toronto Island into a 30-minute journey. The gap is 120 metres wide.
You can read about it on:
• City TV
• CTV News
• CBC.ca
4 comments
Just imagine how badly they’d have fucked things up if this had been a bridge they’d been opening.
I was annoyed at how quickly Adam Vaughn spun this into an anti-airport issue, raising issues of security, accidents, etc. The captain lost control because of those goofy blue smoke bombs, and Vaughn declares each ferry a floating WMD. Ferries have been making that airport channel trip for decades, and it was a mishap. Yeesh.
I guess a bridge was a better idea after all.
… which goes to prove that the port authority shouldn’t be allowed near the water.
Bob