Divers discovered the starboard propeller that sheared off the Queen of New Westminster this week resting on the seabed near the Tsawwassen terminal.
The 60-year-old ferry was pulled from service after the incident Tuesday morning, which saw 800 litres of light hydraulic fluid leak into marine waters.
Multiple sailings have been cancelled on the busy Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen route as a result.
The vessel is expected to be out of service for repairs until at least the end of this month.
B.C. Ferries released more details Friday of what happened.
During the 6 a.m. sailing Tuesday out of Tsawwassen heading to Swartz Bay, “the crew identified an issue with the vessel’s starboard propulsion system. Soon after, a light sheen was noticed on the water, suggesting a hydraulic oil leak,” Ritinder Matthew, B.C. Ferries media director, said in a statement Friday.
B.C. Ferries immediately informed the Canadian Coast Guard, and response teams were sent out to assess the area around the terminal and surrounding waters to ensure environmental safety, she said.
“While both the oil discharge and the propulsion issue were related, it wasn’t until divers inspected the vessel on Wednesday that we confirmed the starboard propeller hub had sheared off from its propulsion shaft.”
The propeller was found near the Tsawwassen terminal, Matthew said. Plans are underway to recover it.
Oil from the 426-foot-long ferry dispersed quickly, and visual inspections from other nearby vessels did not find any remaining oil on the water, Matthew said.
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