NM Apollo out of service after botching landing on luckless eastern Quebec ferry route
Vessel was purchased in January to replace NM Felix-Adrien Gauthier, out for repairs since Dec. 17
The NM Apollo, brought into service in eastern Quebec to replace a broken-down ferry, is itself out of service after smashing into the dock in Godbout.
The ferry, which runs between Matane in the Gaspé region and Baie-Comeau and Godbout on Quebec's North Shore, hit the dock around 11 a.m. Monday.
The hull of the ship suffered significant damage, but no one was injured, according to the Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ), Quebec's provincial ferry service.
All the passengers were able to get off the ship without difficulty, despite the accident.
Crossings on the route are cancelled until further notice. According to STQ spokesperson Alexandre Lavoie, the service could be interrupted for several days.
"There is no chance that we'll go back to sea today, that's for sure," Lavoie said. "Once we've done a more in-depth analysis of the damage and required repairs, we will be able to tell our customers when service will resume."
The ferry that usually services the route, NM Felix-Adrien Gauthier, was docked on Dec. 17, after a routine inspection revealed a mechanical problem with its propeller system.
On Jan. 8, the STQ brought in the MS C.T.M.A. Vacancier as a temporary replacement for the F.-A. Gauthier. But that ferry has to be returned to service its usual route in the Magdalen islands on Feb. 1.
The STQ purchased the Apollo for $2.1 million in mid-January as an interim solution. The ship, built in 1970, had previously operated between Blanc-Sablon, on Quebec's North Shore, and St. Barbe, NL.
It has a much smaller capacity than the F.-A. Gauthier — room for just 240 passengers, compared to the regular ferry's 800, and for just 80 vehicles, instead of 180.
Michael Labrie-Bacon, who was aboard the ferry during the collision, said that he felt the impact when the Apollo hit the dock.
"It felt a bit like we went into the ice," he said. "It stopped suddenly, but it wasn't a strong impact."
It isn't yet clear what caused the accident. An investigation is underway.
With files from Julia Page and Radio-Canada