Northen BC Ferry Sinks at 1 AM

The Queen of the North BC Ferry hit a rock shortly before 1 a.m. local time this morning, about 135 kilometers south of Prince Rupert. Fortunately all 59 passengers and 42 crew are safe. The single hull boat sunk within an hour of apparently hitting a rock. Some of the passengers were asleep at the time and were rescued in their pajamas in the rainy dark weather. Apparently the nearby community of Hartley Bay helped in the rescue efforts. The Queen of the North was sailing south to Port Hardy from Prince Rupert, a 450-kilometre trip along B.C.'s Inside Passage. See the CBC report for full details as well as the Globe & Mail and the BC Ferries press release and CP. Ironically Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon is scheduled today to meet with the finance ministry to discuss funding for replacement ships. This is the first time ever a BC Ferry has sunk.....