Gabriola Island "car in the water" incident - March 2013

[Low Light Mike]

A thread for this news story, from an incident at Descanso Bay on March 19, 2013.

News story here:
www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/car-skids-across-ferry-deck-and-into-water-at-gabriola-island-terminal-1.94744

GABRIOLA ISLAND, B.C. - RCMP, the coast guard and other first responders are at the scene of a bizarre early morning incident just metres off the B.C. Ferry dock on Gabriola Island, near Nanaimo.

BC Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall confirms a car is in the water at the Descanso Bay terminal and is reported to have sunk.

She says, at about 3:45 a.m., the vehicle crashed through a barrier gate at the terminal where the open-decked ferry, the MV Quinsam, was tied up overnight.

The car careened up the raised ramp at the terminal and launched itself onto the ferry's deck, skidding the length of the deck before tumbling into the water from the open bow of the ship.

There's no word, yet, if anyone was in the car, but the incident has closed the ferry terminal until further notice, suspending sailings between Gabriola Island and nearby Nanaimo Harbour.

A release from BC Ferries says a water taxi service is being arranged for foot passengers.

[Northern Exploration]

Mar 20, 2013 6:05:02 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

A thread for this news story, from an incident at Descanso Bay on March 19, 2013.

News story here:
www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/car-skids-across-ferry-deck-and-into-water-at-gabriola-island-terminal-1.94744

GABRIOLA ISLAND, B.C. - RCMP, the coast guard and other first responders are at the scene of a bizarre early morning incident just metres off the B.C. Ferry dock on Gabriola Island, near Nanaimo.

BC Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall confirms a car is in the water at the Descanso Bay terminal and is reported to have sunk.

She says, at about 3:45 a.m., the vehicle crashed through a barrier gate at the terminal where the open-decked ferry, the MV Quinsam, was tied up overnight.

The car careened up the raised ramp at the terminal and launched itself onto the ferry's deck, skidding the length of the deck before tumbling into the water from the open bow of the ship.

There's no word, yet, if anyone was in the car, but the incident has closed the ferry terminal until further notice, suspending sailings between Gabriola Island and nearby Nanaimo Harbour.

A release from BC Ferries says a water taxi service is being arranged for foot passengers.

I read that early this morning on the news release.  The guy had to have been going an incredible speed to launch up the ramp and skid through the ferry deck and off the other side.  Given the time of night likely alcohol as a minimum was involved and likely drugs of some sort.  Hopefully the person didn't take anyone else with them. Presumably the body is still in the car.  

[compdude787]

This is kind of like something that happened at Mukilteo last summer where a car drove off the dock (no ferry there, though) and into the water in the middle of the night. They were killed, and their car was seen floating in the water the next morning. In this case, I wonder if someone decided to use the ferry dock to throw away God's most precious gift, the gift of life.

[DENelson83]

It's also eerily similar to this incident at Swartz Bay a couple of years ago.

[Low Light Mike]

News story from Gabriola Sounder news.
- recovery of vehicle and 1 body

www.soundernews.com/news/single-body-recovered-from-vehicle-in-descanso-bay.html

[Dane]

Bizarre. Will be interesting to see the details on this story when it comes out.

Looking through article comments I was pleasantly impressed BCFS is not being blamed for not have a fortification built around its vessels.