Barge still stuck along Esquimalt coast following windstorm
A cement barge that washed onto the coast of Esquimalt, B.C., is still stuck there on Thursday, two days after it ran aground.
The cement barge broke free of its tow cable and smashed onto the rocks of MacLoughlin Point on Tuesday night during a windstorm, which cancelled BC Ferries sailings in the region.
Since then, the wayward barge has drawn onlookers.
"There was a loud bang. I heard it, the kids heard it, everybody heard it," said an Esquimalt resident on Wednesday.
Fortunately, Transport Canada says there were no injuries in the crash and that the trapped barge is relatively harmless.
"The barge is empty, with no fuel or people on board, and poses no threat to people's safety or the marine environment," said Transport Canada spokesperson Sau Sau Liu in a statement Thursday.
Recovery efforts began on Wednesday, but as of Thursday afternoon, the barge was still stuck at MacLoughlin Point.
The trapped barge is pictured on Nov. 30. 2022. (CTV News)It's unclear when the barge will finally be freed, but Transport Canada says it's working with the barge owner to carry out a safe recovery of the vessel.
CTV News reached out to the company that owns the barge, Lafarge Canada, on Wednesday but did not receive a response.
Either way, locals say they don't want have to wait like Vancouverites did when a barge was stuck along the rocks of English Bay for nearly a year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.