BC ferries cancels northern sailings until after Christmas due to mechanical issue and wind

The Northern Expedition is seen in this photo from the BC Ferries website.

BC Ferries has cancelled sailings to and from Prince Rupert until after Christmas due to a mechanical issue and forecasted “hurricane-force winds.”

Just after 11:30 a.m. Sunday, BC Ferries announced the noon sailing from Prince Rupert to Graham Island, Haida Gwaii on Christmas Eve was cancelled, as well as the Boxing Day return sailing. It said sailings are expected to resume on Thursday, Dec. 28.

The Crown corporation said it has begun repairing an issue with the Northern Expedition’s main engine, and that a replacement engine turbo charger is being sent by truck from Vancouver to Prince Rupert.

It added the crew for the Thursday sailing will be flown to Prince Rupert.

“We recognize a number of these customers will now be spending Christmas in a place other than where they’d expected to. This is not what we’d hoped and know it’s not what they had planned,” BC Ferries wrote in a service notice.

It said anyone booked on the sailings will get a refund, and that travellers who choose to take a flight instead will potentially be reimbursed.

According to Environment Canada, coastal sections of Haida Gwaii and the North Coast will be hit with 90 km/h winds gusting to 120 km/h Sunday night to Monday evening.