PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. - A big wave caused panic on board the ferry Snohomish last Friday after it pushed part of the boat underwater on the route between Port Townsend and Keystone. 

The frightening incident was caught on video and passengers described what happened. 

"This was nothing like we've ever experienced out there before," said Bob Rowth, ferry passenger. 

Video caught on a passenger's cell phone shows the lower cabin of the Snohomish in the aftermath.  The ceiling collapsed to the right and again to the left when a series of waves hit the bow of the boat and water came crashing into the cabin. 

"The water came through the front doors and the window, and then busted through the overhead, so the ceiling collapsed in on us," said Rowth.  

The passenger ferry Snohomish was sailing from Port Townsend to Keystone ferry dock last Friday when passengers say a huge wave hit the front of the ship. 

"All the windows in the front were covered with dark green water," said Janice Eklung, passenger. "And we were pitched going down and we stayed down."

"The jet in back was out of the water, so it was totally nose down," said Rowth  "And from the side window all we could see was green water - no daylight."

Rowth was on board in the lower cabin with about 30 others.  He said after the first wave hit, the boat's bow dipped about 20 degrees down underwater.  Passengers started sliding forward to the front of the ship as water rushed inside.

"People were screaming, there was no direction from the crew about life vests or anything, so we all ran away from those windows because we thought they were going to break," said Janice Eklung, passenger.

Passengers say about six to eight inches of water flooded the lower cabin.

KING

A big wave caused panic on board the ferry Snohomish last Friday after it pushed part of the boat underwater on the route between Port Townsend and Keystone.

Some passengers called it a rogue wave while the others believe it was a wake from a passing container ship.

The ferry service was forced to cancel the next two runs on the Snohomish.

The state ferry service did not return calls by KING 5. On Friday, it released a simple statement that the run was cancelled due to weather.

Now many wonder whether the 54-car Steilacoom, which was in trial runs for the Keystone route Monday will be able to sustain a similar incident.