KUALA PERLIS: The Marine Department will investigate the incident on a passenger ferry belonging to Ferry Line Venture which got stranded on a sandbar at Kuala Perlis here last night.
Its North Region director, Captain Abdul Samad Shaik Osman said the department would conduct a thorough investigation to determine the actual cause of the incident.
“Preliminary investigation found that the ferry did not follow the buoy path and went off course. We will find out how it happened and why the captain acted so,” he told reporters here today.
He said the buoyage should have been used as guidance by the ferry to enter the terminal.
The incident occurred about 8pm yesterday as the ferry, with 432 passengers and 12 crew, was heading to Kuala Perlis Passenger Ferry Terminal from Langkawi.
It was stranded on the sandbar for more than six hours and the passengers and crew were brought to the terminal using boats, an operation which ended at about 2.30am today, he added.
Meanwhile, Ferry Line Venture operations manager Baharin Baharom said the affected passengers were provided food and drink, as well as accommodation.
Transportation was also provided for those continuing their journey to Kuala Lumpur, he said and apologised to the passengers for the inconvenience caused. — Bernama
[embedded content]
