The B.C. Ferries vessel Salish Heron dropped anchor Tuesday morning.

It wasn’t supposed to.

En route from Tsawwassen to Salt Spring, the five-year-old Salish-class boat suffered an “unexpected release” of one of its two anchors into the waters near the Triconmali Channel.

Passengers reported “a massive shuddering of the vessel and a huge metallic screeching sound,” with one witness saying passengers on the outer deck quickly reported to staff they could see fire and smoke.

Claire Thomas, who was on the ferry, said there was a strong smell of smoke throughout the vessel, and moved to the rear to try to avoid it, adding “passengers were very scared.”

“I was completely terrified and called my husband to tell him what was going on and he tried to calm me,” said Claire Thomas. “After talki

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