An iconic ferry boat that was once part of the Washington State Ferry system has been transferred to a new owner. Once stationed on Bainbridge Island, the MV Olympic was towed out of Eagle Harbor earlier this month. The vessel is a 600-passenger, 50-car ferry that was first put into operation in 1954. Sadly, once the vessel was sent on its way to its new home, it hit a rough patch of weather and ran aground on Ketron Island.

The incident is now being investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Natural Resources, possibly because the vessel was known to harbor some asbestos-containing materials. Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and while there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure.

The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, and the majority of patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years following diagnosis.

Gloria Van Spanckeren of Pierce County Public Works spoke with reporters about the incident, explaining that the boat ran aground when one of the vessel’s moorings broke. “When the tide was out, the Olympic was resting on the beach; when the tide came in it refloated,” she said. “After that, the Olympic remained pretty much where it was, i.e., it was not moved away from the beach and anchored as indicated.”