No timeline to remove beached barge from Victoria waterfront: Transport Canada
More than a week after a marine barge ran aground near Victoria during an intense windstorm, there is still no timeline for the vessel's removal, according to federal officials and the company responsible for the watercraft.
The cement barge, known as Metlakatla I, broke free of its tow cable and drifted onto the rocks at McLoughlin Point on the evening of Nov. 29, as high seas forced the cancellation of multiple ferry sailings in the region.
By Wednesday, the barge had drawn hordes of onlookers to the Esquimalt, B.C., waterfront but little in the way of recovery work.
Transport Canada says Lafarge Canada, which owns the barge, has conducted a damage assessment on the vessel to determine what actions are required to safely refloat the vessel.
The federal agency was still working with the company to finalize that salvage plan Wednesday.
"The particular details regarding the recovery of the barge are the purview of the owner's representative and the timing of the removal remains to be confirmed," Transport Canada spokesperson Sau Sau Liu said.
"The removal is a complex issue, with several factors to consider in addition to tide levels and weather, including safety, security and environmental protection."
Lafarge Canada confirmed it was still forming its salvage plan Wednesday with no firm recovery timeline in place. (CTV News)
Lafarge confirmed it was still forming its salvage plan Wednesday with no firm recovery timeline in place.
"We are working with Transport Canada and necessary partners to implement a safe and prompt recovery plan," company spokesperson Anna Salomao said.
The federal agency says the barge contains no fuel and poses no threat to the safety of residents or the marine environment.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Golf season a summer tourism driver in Canada
Golf is a sign of spring and summer and a major driver for seasonal tourism, experts say.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Parliamentary report on Emergencies Act decision is 18 months past due — and counting
The erstwhile group of senators and MPs studying the federal government's invocation of the Emergencies Act over the "Freedom Convoy" was supposed to present its findings in December. December of 2022, that is.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.