Global Courant 2023-04-16 18:31:11
A Washington state ferry ran aground on Saturday, stranding nearly 600 passengers on board for hours after a generator on the ship apparently failed, officials said.
The Walla Walla, a four-engine jumbo-class ferry, was en route from Bremerton to Seattle around 4:30 p.m. when the ship ran aground in Rich Passage near Bainbridge Island, just west of Seattle, Washington State Ferries officials said.
“When we hit it felt like an earthquake,” said Kyle Bulger, a passenger on board FOX13 Seattle. “We shuffled around, it moved everyone and everyone was confused.”
None of the ferry’s 596 passengers or 15 crew members were injured in the grounding, the U.S. Pacific Northwest Coast Guard said.
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Spectators watch ships help a ferry that ran aground off Bainbridge Island in Washington State on Saturday. (Washington Department of Ecology)
The Washington Department of Ecology confirmed on Twitter that no contamination or damage to the hull was found.
The US Pacific Northwest Coast Guard responded to assist local ferries disembark passengers from the stranded ship in Rich Passage. (US Coast Guard Pacific Northwest)
Coast Guard crews and tugs arrived on scene for support as Kitsap Fast Ferry vessels worked to unload the stranded passengers.
As of 10 p.m. local time, all Walla Walla passengers were being transported aboard the Kitsap ferries to Bremerton, officials said.
All passengers were unloaded from the Walla Walla at 10 p.m. local time and taken to Bremerton, officials said. (US Coast Guard Pacific Northwest)
“Phew! It’s been a long night, but thanks for sticking with it,” Washington State Ferries said in a tweet.
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Officials waited for high tide to try to tow the stranded ship out of the shallows.
Passengers with vehicles aboard the ferry can collect their cars from the Bremerton terminal at 9 a.m. Sunday, the department said.
According to officials, the ship may have suffered a generator failure. An official investigation is underway to determine the cause of the grounding.
The Walla Walla is 440 feet long with a draft of 18 feet, with a maximum capacity of 2,000 passengers and 188 vehicles, according to the state’s Department of Transportation website.
