Marine Atlantic Ferry Beset in Ice Off Canada [UPDATE]

Blue Puttees, file image via Haydn Blackey/wikipedia

Update, via Marine Atlantic:

“With ice-breaking assistance from the MV Atlantic Vision currently en route to Port aux Basques, the MV Blue Puttees is once again moving through the ice en route to North Sydney. With no additional ice impacts, the vessel is expected to arrive at approximately 4:30 pm NL time.

The Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Henry Larson will arrive in the area to provide ice breaking services through the next couple of days and is expected to arrive at approximately 8:30 pm NL time.”

Earlier:

A Marine Atlantic ferry is stuck in thick ice this morning off the coast of Cape Breton between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

According to the ferry operator, at approximately 7:15pm local time on Wednesday evening, both the MV Blue Puttees and MV Highlanders encountered severe ice conditions off the coast of Cape Breton.

The MV Highlanders has managed to free itself, however the Blue Puttees with 350 passengers and crew on board is currently stuck four miles from the North Sydney dock and is awaiting the arrival of the 203.3 meter RoPax vessel, MV Atlantic Vision, which has icebreaking capabilities.

Marine Atlantic notes the Canadian Coast Guard has dispatched the icebreaker Henry Larson to provide additional ice breaking support should it be required with an expected on-scene arrival this evening.

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