BC Ferries mid-route turnback delays Victoria sailings after a passenger medical emergency on the Spirit of British Columbia.
Emergency forces return to Vancouver
On Wednesday, Oct. 8, the 3 p.m. Spirit of British Columbia sailing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay was compelled to turn back to Vancouver when a passenger needed urgent medical attention en route. Officials say the vessel reversed course and returned to port to facilitate care.
Disrupted evening sailings from Swartz Bay
Because of the unscheduled return, the 5 p.m. ferry departing Victoria toward Vancouver was delayed by 1 hour 12 minutes and is reported full. Meanwhile, the 7 p.m. Swartz Bay departure also shows full capacity, and the 9 p.m. sailing had only about 15 % of vehicle spaces remaining as of 4:30 p.m. — that later service is expected to carry delays.
Impact on Vancouver-bound services
Ferry departures from Vancouver to Victoria currently remain unaffected, according to BC Ferries’ schedule. Services on that leg are operating normally, without reported interruptions.
Advice to affected travellers
BC Ferries is urging passengers to monitor Current Conditions on its website or app for the latest updates on sailings and capacity changes. The company issued an apology for the disruption and asked for travellers’ patience during the unplanned adjustments.
“We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience you may experience as a result of this delay,” BC Ferries stated in its public notice.
Why the issue occurred—and what’s next
The sudden return was triggered by the onboard medical incident, which “required immediate medical attention,” per BC Ferries’ advisory. No further details about the passenger’s condition have been released. The return disrupted scheduling and vehicle loading plans, cascading into delays for subsequent sailings from Swartz Bay.
BC Ferries has yet to provide full confirmation about whether further services beyond tonight will see knock-on effects, but the public is being encouraged to check updates continuously.
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