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BC Ferries crew member injured while working on docked vessel

A BC Ferries crew member is in hospital after being injured while working on the Queen of Cowichan on Saturday morning.

A BC Ferries crew member is in hospital after being injured while working on the Queen of Cowichan on Saturday morning.

BC Ferries said the female worker was hurt while on duty on the car deck after an issue with one of the bow doors Oct. 19.

The vessel was docked at Horseshoe Bay and due to leave at 8.25 a.m. for Nanaimo but the sailing was cancelled because of the incident.

 A BC Ferries worker was injured on Saturday morning. (Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome)The Queen of New Westminster is slated for replacement in about five years (Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome)

“I don’t know the extent of the injuries but we are conducting a full investigation into the incident,” Chelsea Carlson, from BC Ferries, told Vancouver Is Awesome.

“The employee was taken to hospital by ambulance.”

It’s believed one of the bow doors became stuck and a number of employees were trying to open it when the woman was injured.

A witness, that did not want to be named, has described the incident to Global News as “absolutely horrific.” She said “one of the doors actually slammed into her” and “knocked her off her feet.”

BC Ferries also cancelled the return sailing from Departure Bay at 10:40 a.m. but service has since resumed on schedule.

“We will post service notices on our website and Twitter feed if we have to cancel any further sailings,” Carlson, from BC Ferries, said.

The incident is being investigated by BC Ferries and Worksafe BC.