Washington State Ferries removed the captain and the 2nd mate from duty onboard the Hyak and placed the two on administrative assignment in the wake of the vessel’s collision on Sept. 13 with a sailboat in Upright Channel.

The Hyak, a Super Class ferry with a 144-vehicle capacity, is roughly 382 feet in length and is capable of traveling up to 17 knots. It collided with a 28-foot sailboat, the Norma Rae, at about 2 p.m., while en route to Orcas Island and shortly after leaving the Lopez Island ferry terminal.

A Fish and Wildlife boat towed the sailboat away, but it later sank in 250 feet of water.

The state ferry system convened a board of inquiry late Friday afternoon to investigate the collision. WSF Spokeswoman Marta Coursey said that placement of the two WSF employees on administrative assignment is routine procedure as part of such an investigation.

Coursey said the board will release its “finding of fact” after conducting interviews with the crew of the Hyak and reviewing details of the crash. The U.S. Coast Guard is conducting a separate but parallel investigation as well, she said.

The sailboat’s lone occupant at the time of the collision, a man in his mid-60s, was transported to San Juan Island’s Peace Island Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries shortly after the incident.

The heavily damaged sailboat was towed from the crash scene by a boat provided by state Fish and Wildlife, but it later sank, reportedly in 250 feet of water.

Cousey said the time of release of the inquiry board’s findings-of-fact will depend on the length of evaluation of the collision.

The incident is under investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard.