Passengers Removed From NC Ferry Roanoke After Soft Grounding

Passengers onboard the North Carolina Ferry System’s M/V Roanoke are currently being removed from the vessel after the ferry ran soft aground in an ebbing tide late this morning off Hatteras Island. No injuries have been reported, and at no time were passengers or crew members in any danger.

Ferry crews and US Coast Guard personnel are helping the 23 passengers off the Roanoke and onto a Coast Guard response boat, which will then take them to the Ferry System’s Hatteras Terminal. Crews are then hoping use the tug M/V Albemarle to free the Roanoke from the shoal. Once that process is complete, the Roanoke will be towed to the Hatteras terminal to unload vehicles and be inspected for any damage.

The Roanoke ran soft aground at approximately 11:30 this morning on its way into Hatteras from Ocracoke’s South Dock terminal. At the time of the grounding, winds were from the southeast at 20-25 knots with gusts to 30.