The Alaska Marine Highway System ferry LeConte will continue to be out of service leading into the weekend.
The ferry, which services Southeast Alaska communities, was moored in Juneau because of engine trouble last weekend. Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities’ staff said they hoped to have the ferry up and running by Thursday. However, spokesperson Shannon McCarthy said Thursday that it still needs some work.
“Our mechanics are working around the clock to get that fixed,” she said. “Unfortunately, we are confident that we will not be able to get the ship back in the water and get the U.S. Coast Guard approvals in time for Friday’s sailing. So we are canceling that.”
The ferry began experiencing engine loss and other mechanical issues last weekend when traveling from Hoonah to Kake. Ferry staff decided to have it towed to Juneau for repairs. The service disruption left many on the ship stuck in Juneau, including the Kake City Schools cross-country team.
McCarthy said the department is offering refunds or rebooking affected passengers on the MV Hubbard or a private catamaran, but it cannot provide transportation for vehicles.
Alaska Marine Highway staff scrambled to fix the ferry before the start of the Klondike Road Relay on Friday. Many runners in Juneau and Haines rely on the LeConte to transport their teams and vehicles to Skagway for the start of the race.
“As vessels age, they require a lot more TLC,” McCarthy said. “We do try to get anything fixed when they’re in for their normal service in the shipyard, but because vessels are older, some unforeseen circumstances will happen.”
McCarthy said the department plans to share another update on the vessel’s status on Saturday.
