The Alaska Marine Highway System ferry MV LeConte broke down over the weekend.
Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities spokesperson Shannon McCarthy said the ferry, which serves Southeast Alaska communities, will be out of commission until at least Thursday.
“Marine Highway staff and crew are working as hard as they can to get this vessel back up and running as quickly as possible,” she said.
McCarthy said the ferry began experiencing engine loss and other issues on Saturday when traveling from Hoonah to Kake. She said ferry staff decided to have it towed to Juneau for repairs on Sunday.
The service disruption left many on the ship stuck in Juneau, including the Kake cross-country team. The department offered catamarans for stranded riders to travel to Kake and Angoon.
Alaska Marine Highway staff says they are scrambling to fix the ferry before the start of the Klondike Road Relay in Skagway this Friday.
The Klondike Road Relay is an annual tradition for many Alaska endurance runners. The 10-part relay race begins Friday evening in Skagway. Runners will take turns running throughout the night and morning over the Coast Mountains and into Whitehorse, Yukon. Many in Juneau and Haines rely on the LeConte to transport their teams and vehicles to Skagway for the race.
McCarthy said the department is looking for alternative solutions for impacted travelers until the LeConte is fixed.
“We are really hoping to have the vessel repaired and back returned to service quickly,” she said. “But if by any chance we don’t have all of our ships available running, we will absolutely be looking at alternative service, such as a catamaran.”
The LeConte is currently moored in Juneau at the Auke Bay Ferry terminal as it undergoes repairs.
