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
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.