Toronto ferry back at full capacity after vessel that crashed returns to service

The City of Toronto says a Toronto Island ferry that crashed at the downtown terminal and injured a dozen people last weekend will resume regular service today.

In an email statement, the city says the vessel's return means the ferry fleet is once again operating at full capacity and on its regular schedule.

It also says the ferry will likely only set sail closer to the weekend since demand is lower during the week.

The city said Tuesday that Transport Canada gave clearance for the ferry after a comprehensive inspection, and a final series of checks was to be performed before it returned to service.

The city is co-operating with a safety review by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, and an internal city investigation is also underway.

Police say the crash happened at around 5 p.m. on Saturday as the boat approached the terminal with more than 900 people on board. The cause of the crash is not yet known.

Twelve people sustained minor injuries and five were taken to hospital for treatment, though none of the injuries were deemed serious.

Mandeep Mashiana, who was on board the ferry when it crashed, said the impact was enough to knock passengers off the stairs where they were standing while waiting to disembark.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 24, 2022.