Canada Officials Say Old Switch Caused Victoria Ferry Crash

Canadian authorities say a faulty switch caused a 341-foot ferry to crash into an empty dock in Victoria, British Columbia.

The Peninsula Daily News reports that the communications safety system failure between the bridge and the engine room caused the MV Coho – which was bound for Port Angeles – to splinter a government-owned, former floatplane dock that was empty.

The Canadian Transportation Safety Board’s marine investigation unit determined Friday that the crash was caused by an old, faulty switch in the telegraph system. The broken switch was replaced in Port Angeles.

The collision still is being investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard, which is required to participate because the vessel is registered in the U.S.

The Coho has worked the Port Angeles-Victoria route for 53 years.