A ferry that was halted during a crossing between Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia Sunday is clear to resume service, according to the ferry operator.
Northumberland Ferries Ltd. issued a statement Monday saying an inspection of the MV Confederation carried out by a team of divers Sunday night verified there is no damage to the vessel.
They say the ship went through a series of "detailed inspections and tests" throughout the night into Monday morning, and sea trials that started around 11 a.m. were "successful."
"The ship has met all the regulatory requirements to resume full service," Northumberland Ferries wrote in a news release.
The ferry operator issued a statement Sunday afternoon saying the boat experienced a "steering issue" while en route to Wood Islands, P.E.I., after leaving port in Caribou, N.S., around 8:30 a.m. — causing the ship's captain to stop the vessel and drop both anchors.
Because of tidal conditions, the boat's location in the channel and "anchor recovery challenges," the ferry was not able to sail back to berth for several hours.
The ship made it back to Caribou around 4:30 p.m. — about eight hours after it departed.
In a news release Monday, the National Transportation Safety Board said it has deployed a team of investigators to gather information and "assess the occurrence."
Northumberland Ferries says the MV Confederation was set to resume service from Caribou, N.S., at 3:15 p.m.
With files from the Canadian Press.
