NM Apollo out of service after botching landing on luckless eastern Quebec ferry route

The NM Apollo, brought into service in eastern Quebecto replace a broken-down ferry,is itself out of service after smashing into thedock in Godbout.

The ferry, which runs betweenMatanein the Gasp regionandBaie-Comeau and Godbouton Quebec's North Shore, hit the dock around 11 a.m. Monday.

The hull of the ship suffered significant damage, but no one was injured, according to the Socit des traversiers du Qubec (STQ), Quebec's provincial ferry service.

All the passengers were able to get off the shipwithout difficulty, despite the accident.

Crossings on the route are cancelled until further notice. According to STQ spokesperson Alexandre Lavoie, the service could be interrupted for several days.

"There is no chancethat we'll go back tosea today, that's for sure," Lavoiesaid. "Once we've done a more in-depth analysis of the damage and required repairs, we will be able to tell our customers when service will resume."

The ferry that usually services the route, NMFelix-Adrien Gauthier, was docked on Dec. 17, after a routine inspection revealeda mechanical problemwith its propeller system.

On Jan.8, the STQ brought in the MSC.T.M.A. Vacancieras a temporary replacement for the F.-A.Gauthier. Butthatferry has to be returned to serviceits usual route in the Magdalen islands on Feb. 1.

The STQ purchased the Apollo for$2.1 million in mid-January as an interimsolution. The ship, built in 1970, had previously operated between Blanc-Sablon, on Quebec's North Shore, and St. Barbe, NL.

It has a much smaller capacity than the F.-A. Gauthier room for just 240 passengers, compared to the regular ferry's800, and for just 80 vehicles, instead of 180.

Michael Labrie-Bacon, who was aboard the ferry during the collision, said that he felt the impact when the Apollo hit the dock.

"It felt a bit like we went into the ice," he said."It stopped suddenly, but it wasn't a strong impact."

It isn't yet clearwhat caused the accident. An investigation is underway.