Freedom Ferry Evacuated At Old North Wharf After Getting Stuck

The Freedom ferry, which runs between Harwich and Nantucket during the summer, was evacuated Tuesday morning by the U.S. Coast Guard and island authorities after it became stuck at Old North Wharf while arriving.

Coast Guard Station Brant Point master chief John Lowell said the ferry was preparing to dock at Straight Wharf when it suffered a mechanical issue “that led them to get stuck underneath Old North Wharf.” There were no injuries reported.

A total of 79 passengers were evacuated from the vessel at Old North Wharf, rather than at its usual spot at Straight Wharf, and the Freedom eventually became unstuck from the wharf just before noon. As of early Tuesday afternoon, the boat line was awaiting word on whether the Freedom could return to service immediately or would require a Coast Guard inspection.

In addition to the response by Coast Guard Station Brant Point’s 47-foot motor lifeboat, the situation brought the Nantucket Harbormaster, Nantucket Fire Department, and Nantucket Police Department to the scene to assist in removing the passengers from the Freedom.

Harbormaster Sheila Lucey also credited several local boat captains, including Bob DeCosta, Brian Borgeson, and Jim Sjolund, who helped get the Freedom away from Old North Wharf and back to its normal berth.

“It had a runaway engine on its starboard engine, and it got away from the dock and became disabled and kind of landed up against Old North Wharf,” Lucey said. “When it became disabled, it swung over there, and then I think it kind of went aground for a second, and then it was underneath Old North Wharf. Once it did that, we came up with a plan with the Coast Guard and the fire department and figured out how to disembark the passengers onto Old North Wharf safely.”

Lucey said there was minimal damage to both Old North Wharf and the vessel as a result of the accident.

Jack Sheeran, of the Freedom Cruise Line, told the Current, “We are currently working with the Coast Guard to determine the cause of the incident.”

As the situation was unfolding, the arriving Hy-Line Cruises ferry had to disembark passengers farther up Straight Wharf, and canceled its 9:55 a.m. return trip to Hyannis.