Washington State Ferries spokesman Ian Sterling holding an Thursday afternoon news conference in front of a badly damaged ferry named the Cathlamet
It was just after 8am Thursday when the Cathlamet, a large ferry carrying cars and about 50 passengers, drifted away from its usual landing place at the Fauntleroy terminal in West Seattle.
“I’m a commuter off Vashon, we take the ferry often and you’re very used to the path,” but Roberta and her wife knew something was wrong, “there was a very loud metal cutting and ripping noise almost instantly and the can opener went on and literally cut off the ferry deck.”
The ferry collided with a dolphin, a offshore terminal structure made of pilings that helps guide docking ferries. “The Cathlamet had what we call a hard landing,” but spokesman Ian Sterling didn’t have many answers when it came to mechanical malfunction for human error “it hit the offshore pilings on the outside which is not normal, and it did it at speed; so, some things to really look at here. There’s no smoking gun mechanically or anything like that.”
The crew was experienced we’re told; about a dozen people who were quickly tested for drug and alcohol use.
A close look at the torn and mangled viewing deck is haunting, “I have had a chance to get on the vessel, kinda look at all the damage” Washington State Ferries chief Patty Rubstello told reporters, “and it’s fairly significant, truly a miracle no one was injured.”
On any other ferry route there might have been people standing on that deck, but it was early and these passengers were mostly commuters sitting in their cars.
State and federal transportation authorities are calling this accident significant, “the Coast Guard will take the federal lead on the investigation and the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) will be investigating alongside,” says Deputy Transportation Secretary Amy Scarton who was among those dispatched to the scene from Olympia.
“Instantly panicked” Roberta says she thought the worst, “I’m with my wife and I, I, I looked around like does this mean the boat is going to start immediately sinking?!”
This could be one of the worst accidents ever in the long history of Washington State Ferries, “you know we do have hard landings from time to time, but nothing as significant like this!” Sterling admits.
