-maintains adequate food, water was available
Management of the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) has issued an apology to passengers who endured harrowing conditions on board the ferry MV Kimbia which broke down at sea on Thursday and had to be towed back to Georgetown.
The T&HD, in a statement issued yesterday, also said there was adequate food on board the vessel via its canteen, which prepared meals continuously after it encountered a steering problem on Thursday evening. It was subsequently towed for some 13 hours back to the city to undergo repairs.
The aged vessel departed Port Georgetown for Kumaka in the Mabaruma Sub Region around 2:20 pm on Thursday, with 331 passengers and 14 crew members. The scheduled arrival time was 3 pm, the following day.
However, the unit noted, around 8 pm that Thursday, while the vessel was steaming off the coast of Anna Regina, some 10 miles from the shoreline, the captain observed that there was a defect in the steering.
Inspections indicated that the steering shaft for the steering wheel was severed, rendering the vessel unable to continue on its journey. The vessel was subsequently anchored around 9 pm and arrangements were made with the authorities for a tug to tow the vessel back to the city.
The vessel arrived around 9:15 the following evening, with all passengers and cargo intact. On arrival, passengers were provided with a hot meal and a beverage while free transportation was provided to take passengers to their respective destinations, the T&HD stated.
The T&HD stated that there were 400 of a 450 gallon “black tank” supply of water, 50 gallons of hot water and 2,724 gallons of fresh water was also available.
Passengers had recounted harrowing experiences to this newspaper on arrival in the city after the vessel broke down and the authorities later met with them prior to the vessel departing for the second time for Mabaruma on Saturday.
Passengers had complained last August that the service needed to be improved, following instances of overcrowding. Similar sentiments were expressed by passengers following this most recent incident.
