Passengers stranded for hours after LaHave ferry stops mid-run
Ferry may be out of commission for up to two days
Eight passengers and three crew members were left stranded for nearly six hours Monday on board a cable ferry near LaHave, N.S., after a mechanical failure.
The ferry, which crosses the LaHave River, stopped 200 metres from shore around 9 a.m. after the vessel's propelling system cracked, said Department of Transportation spokesperson Marla McInnis.
Transportation crews and a Canadian Coast Guard vessel brought the ferry back to shore by 2:45 p.m., said McInnis.
"We experienced some strong winds this morning and that caused the bull wheel shaft to crack on the ferry. The bull wheel shaft is what propels the ferry," she said.
The department expects repairs may leave the ferry out of commission for up to two days, McInnis said.
The vehicle and passenger ferry connects the communities of East LaHave and LaHave in Lunenburg County.