Capella Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

On November 11, 2024, at 4:51 p.m., the ferry 'Capella' ran aground in Norra Kvarken, close to Holmön. Immediate assistance was organized, with the Sea Rescue Society and a pilot boat quickly dispatched to the site, and a helicopter placed on standby. Fortunately, no aircraft support was needed for the incident. Aboard the ferry were seven individuals – five passengers and two crew members. Thankfully, the vessel did not sustain any water ingress or fuel leakage. Despite a calm evening, fog presented a slight challenge. By 7:30 p.m., the Sea Rescue Society successfully evacuated all passengers to shore. Plans were made to tow the grounded ferry at daylight on November 12. To maintain service on the route, the ferry 'Helena Elisabeth' commenced operations at 6 a.m. The cause of the grounding will be thoroughly investigated by the accident commission.

On November 9, 2019, the ferry 'Capella' encountered a significant challenge when it experienced an engine failure in the Kvarken region, specifically between Norrfjärden and Holmön, north of Umeå. The incident unfolded around 11 a.m. when initial reports indicated smoke coming from the engine room; however, this was later confirmed to be steam. As the situation escalated, it was determined that the engine had ceased functioning entirely. The ferry subsequently dropped anchor. In a swift response, a helicopter was deployed to rescue the four passengers on board, while the two crew members remained on the vessel to assist in the recovery process amidst challenging weather conditions, with wind gusts reaching up to 20 meters per second. By 12:20 p.m., the Swedish Maritime Administration confirmed that all four passengers had been safely evacuated and transported to shore. Crew members requested a standby helicopter for their safety, but due to dense fog, the helicopter had to return to its base. At approximately 2:20 p.m., a tugboat arrived to tow the 'Capella', which successfully reached the port in Umeå by 8:45 p.m. Following this incident, all ferry services to and from Holmön were suspended until November 11. The ferry resumed operations with its return from Umeå on March 18. For further details, you can view the Swedish reports with accompanying photos and videos: [Sjofartstidningen](https://www.sjofartstidningen.se/passagerare-evakuerades-fran-farja-sjonod/), [SVT](https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/vasterbotten/mona-fick-evakueras-med-helikopter-gungade-nagot-djavelusiskt), and [VK](https://www.vk.se/2019-11-09/holmofarjan-fick-motorhaveri-passagerare-raddades-med-helikopter).