An investigation found the emergency shut-off on the Pride of Vancouver catamaran was tampered with before it ran aground on Oct. 23.
The Story
A cruise ship that ran aground on Oct. 23 while carrying 150 North Vancouver graduating students says an investigation found tampering was the cause.
Students from Sutherland Secondary School were on the Pride of Vancouver catamaran when it ran aground off Vancouver, leaving students and chaperones stranded for hours.
Vanessa Garrett with Spirit Cruises said the company conducted an investigation into what happened in co-operation with Transport Canada, the Transport Safety Board and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.
According to the investigation, the emergency shut-off had been tampered with. The protective cage had been removed and the shut-off was activated, which caused the engine to stop while the ship was underway.
The investigation also found that, along with the shut-off being activated, a strong flowing current pushed the vessel off course until the starboard propeller hit the sandbar they lodged on.
Garrett said the company contacted the Canadian Coast Guard to get the passengers off the vessel, because it would have taken longer for one of the company’s own vessels to assist.
Garrett said there were no injuries to any passengers on the boat.
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