Island airport runway was hit by ferry

City didn't disclose April accident to Billy Bishop agency

- FRANCINE KOPUN

The city is blaming dense fog for a ferry accident it did not report in April that saw the Thomas Rennie breach the safety perimeter around the Toronto Island airport, striking the facility in the area of the eastern runway.

The Marine Exclusion Zone (MEZ), which is ringed by buoys and well-known to sailors in the harbour, is meant to keep water-craft - including ferries - away from the airport, to ensure aviation safety.

According to a report from Canada's Transportation Safety Board, the accident took place at 10:35 p.m. on April 30, with about 16 people aboard the ferry. There were no reported injuries. There is a 100-foot buffer between the end of the runway and the shoreline.

"The accident was a result of severely dense fog," according to a City of Toronto spokesperson. "Staff were unable to detect objects on radar and unable to see visually the airport lights, Hanlan's Point dock, and markers."

The accident comes to light as the city is facing increased scrutiny over the safety and maintenance of its aging ferry fleet, which still transports 1.4 million passengers from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal to three locations on the Toronto islands each year.