VANCOUVER - BC Ferries has fired one of its captains after a ferry en route to Victoria had a close call with a freighter last month.
BC Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall says the Spirit of British Columbia came within 180 metres of a vessel at the narrow entrance to Active Pass between Mayne Island and Gabriola Island on March 17.
She says the two vessels had been in contact and planned to pass each other outside the pass on the west side of the Strait of Georgia but they miscalculated their speed.
Marshall says the incident violated BC Ferries policy that allows passing only inside the long, straight stretch of Active Pass or outside the pass.
She says BC Ferries conducted an internal review of what they're terming a near miss and fired the unidentified captain, who had come back from retirement to work on contract as a relief captain.
Marshall says BC Ferries has also reported the incident to Transport Canada although it did not violate any federal regulations.
