KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) – A ferry taking people from Ketchikan’s airport to the city experienced a mechanical issue, requiring a tow in the Tongass Narrows.
The Oral Freeman had to be towed to the dock, The Ketchikan Daily News reported (http://is.gd/tA2mH6).
A fitting on an air compressor filter failed, causing a loss of air pressure on the ferry, said Airport Manager Mike Carney.
“Once it loses air pressure, it can’t shift,’’ Carney said.
The other ferry in service Thursday afternoon, the Ken Eichner 2, responded and put the other ferry in a side-tow.
When it had difficulty getting the Oral Freeman’s bow to move, Coast Guard vessels help get it under way.
“We started our two response boats _ one to pull and one to push _ on the bow to swing it in (and) help get it into the dock,’’ said U.S. Coast Guard Senior Chief Kevinn Smith, officer in charge of Coast Guard Station Ketchikan.
Once docked, passengers and vehicles were able to leave the Oral Freeman.
“The Coast Guard and (ferry) crews did what they were trained to do and got the passengers and everybody to shore safely,’’ Carney said.
There were no injuries.
The compressor problem has been fixed, but the Oral Freeman is out of service until Tuesday because of a personnel scheduling issue.
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