||| FROM NEWSWEEK |||
An initial alert about a ferry that crashed into a west Seattle dock caused confusion on Twitter after the Washington State Ferries (WSF) tweeted that damage had been made to the vessel and an offshore dolphin at the terminal.
“Cathlamet hard landing at #Fauntleroy causing significant damage to the vessel and an offshore dolphin at the terminal. No injuries to report at this time. Fauntleroy service suspended until further notice while assessment is done,” WSF tweeted on Thursday.
In response to the news, one Twitter user wrote: “Does this mean the ferry ran into a dolphin? :(” However, others on Twitter were relieved moments later after the WSF clarified that the dolphin is a ferry structure not an actual animal.
“No no, a dolphin is a terminal structure located at the dock,” the WSF replied. The structures are used to guide ferries into the terminal.
In a separate tweet with an illustration of the terminal, the WSF said: “to clarify, when we say #Cathlamet hit a dolphin at #Fauntleroy terminal, we don’t mean it hit an animal. A dolphin is part of the terminal that helps guide a boat in.”
Meanwhile, the Washington State Department of Transportation announced in an alert that the Fauntleroy terminal is out of service until further notice and it shared pictures of the scene.
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