SEATTLE — The state ferry that was damaged during a "hard landing" at the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal in West Seattle could be out of service the rest of the year.
Washington State Ferries tweeted the Cathlamet was towed from the Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility on Bainbridge Island to Everett Ship Repair on Aug. 24. There it will go into dry dock for repairs.
The vessel will "likely be out of service through the end of the year," Washington State Ferries tweeted.
On July 24, the Cathlamet was docking at the Fauntleroy ferry terminal when it collided with an offshore dolphin - a structure that guides docking ferries. The collision caused significant damage to the vessel.
The dolphin, primarily made from a wood piling with steel and concrete, made a sizeable tear in the ferry’s front right side. In addition to the ferry itself, several vehicles on the ferry were also damaged, with one trapped in the wreckage.
The crash was classified by the US Coast Guard as a "major marine casualty."
"This was a significant event and the entire state Department of Transportation will put our weight behind the ferry system as we investigate this," Deputy Secretary of Transportation Amy Scarton said at the time. "Our safety record is impeccable in the history of state ferries. We have not had a fatality on board one of our vessels due to collision and so we will take this seriously."
Following the crash, the captain of the ferry at the time of the collision resigned.
The entire crew was tested for drugs and alcohol. All tests came back negative, according to Washington State Ferries.
No injuries were reported.
No pollution was reported.
The United State Coast Guard is the lead agency in the investigation. State Ferries is also working with the National Transportation Safety Board and other federal partners.