Planning on catching the 5:30 p.m. sailing to Langdale, or the 6:25 p.m. back to Horseshoe Bay today? It seems you'll need to make other plans.
On Thursday, Sept. 15, two sailings on Route 3 between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale terminals were cancelled.
In a service notice, BC Ferries announced it does not have the crew availability needed on the Queen of Alberni, and has to cancel four sailings: the 2:45 p.m. from Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay, the 5:30 p.m. from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, the 6:25 p.m. from Langdale to Horseshoe Bay, and the 7:30 p.m. from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay.
The company notes other sailings on those two routes are expected to continue as scheduled. "We require a specific number of crew members on board the vessel to ensure the safety of our passengers in the unlikely event of an emergency and to comply with Transport Canada regulations. The decision to cancel a sailing in these circumstances is made when we have exhausted all options to find replacement crew. That said, if circumstances change and replacement crew become available, we will notify customers immediately," BC Ferries says.
Passengers with reservations will be contacted by BC Ferries's customer service about alternative sailings or cancellations. The latest service disruption comes after BC Ferries announced expected crew shortages earlier this year.
