TSB won't investigate Confederation wharf hit, and Holiday Island fire report still pending

There will not be an independent investigation into what caused MV Confederation to plow into the ferry wharf at Wood Islands, P.E.I., according to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

In an email to CBC News, the board said the Sept. 15 collision has been classified as a Class 5 occurrence, which means it won't prompt a comprehensive investigation followed by a report because there is little likelihood that new safety lessons can be learned.

However, the board said data from the incident will be recorded "in suitable scope for possible future safety analysis, statistical reporting, or archival purposes."

According to Northumberland Ferries Ltd., the ferry suffered a mechanical failure as it approached the wharf that Sunday, leading to a collision that damaged the bow door. Passengers on board had to back their vehicles off after the vessel turned around to offload from the stern.

On another front, the TSB said a report on the investigation into the fire that heavily damaged the Northumberland Ferries vessel MV Holiday Island is still not complete.

More than 200 people were evacuated from the ferry after a fire broke out in the vessel's engine room at around 11 a.m. AT on July 22, 2022. That was about an hour into its planned 75-minute crossing from Caribou, N.S., to Wood Islands, P.E.I.

No major injuries were reported.

In September 2023, the TSB announced that it had completed its investigations into the fire and would begin writing its report.

In the email to CBC News this week, the board said the investigation remains in the report phase. That includes having the confidential draft report reviewed by designated reviewers.

The agency said it could not provide a release date for the report, but said it is committed to releasing it as soon as possible.

"While the TSB strives to meet the target timelines for the publication of investigation reports as listed in the TSB's Policy on Occurrence Classification, these timelines may be exceeded due to the complexity of the investigation, delays that may be encountered during the various related activities, and delays that may arise due to the need for investigative resources to support new reported occurrences and investigations," the email said.

With MV Saareema undergoing engine repairs and MV Confederation in dry dock for repairs to its bow door, there is currently no ferry service between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia.