KANGAR, Oct 21 — A total of 251 passengers aboard the Express Bahagia 98 (EB98) ferry from Langkawi, which ran aground on a sandbank near the entrance to the Kuala Perlis Passenger Ferry Terminal this morning, were safely evacuated at 2.50 pm today.
Langkawi Ferry Line Ventures Sdn Bhd Operations Manager Lt Cmdr (R) Norhafiz Abdul Wahid said all passengers, together with their luggage, were successfully evacuated with the assistance of security teams and relevant agencies, while all 10 crew members were also reported safe.
“The evacuation operation was carried out in collaboration with the Kuala Perlis Marine Police, the Kuala Perlis Fishermen’s Association and Sea Splash Travel Sdn Bhd after two initial attempts to tow the ferry using Feri Kenangan 6 and Langkawi Auto Express 1 failed due to the falling sea level,” he said in a statement today.
Norhafiz said the EB98 ferry departed Langkawi at 9.30am before running aground at about 10.35am near Buoy No 1 in Kuala Perlis, when the captain took evasive action to avoid a fishing net stretched across the inbound and outbound shipping channel at Kuala Perlis.
“When the manoeuvre was carried out, both of the ferry’s main engines were stopped before wind conditions caused the vessel to drift onto the sandbank,” he said, adding that efforts to refloat the ferry were scheduled for around 7pm today, when the sea level was expected to rise again.
The operation was planned with the assistance of fishing boats and would depend on tidal conditions and the prevailing circumstances to ensure it could be carried out safely.
Norhafiz said Langkawi Ferry Line Ventures also apologised to passengers and other affected parties for the inconvenience and travel disruptions caused by the incident. — Bernama