Island ferry ‘should not have sailed’

THE Robben Island Museum ferry Thandi‚ which almost sank with 70 people on board last month‚ should not have made the trip back to the mainland‚ a ferry owner said.

Bruce Tedder‚ owner of Tedder Yachts based in Cape Town‚ told this to the Western Cape Provincial Legislature’s standing committee on economic opportunities‚ tourism and agriculture yesterday.

“On that day‚ Thandi should not have been there operating as a ferry coming back from the island,” he said. “Going to the island is fine. “At what point do you call a vessel back because you are stuck with 65 tourists and they need to go home?” he said.

He was asked for his input by committee chairwoman Beverley Schfer.

Representatives from the Robben Island Museum and the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) were asked to provide feedback.

A passenger had to be rescued after the vessel started taking in water on its way back from the island.

Members of the provincial legislature had asked if Thandi had been compliant with its licence.

Captain Pierre Schutz‚ deputy principal officer at Samsa’s Cape Town office‚ said they conducted annual inspections on ferries as mandated by the law.

“In the case of Thandi, was she compliant? I don’t know‚ I can’t answer that question about the time before she left‚ because we only inspect it once a year.

“After that‚ it’s the owner’s and the skipper’s responsibility to maintain the vessel in that condition‚” he said.

Schfer asked if ferry crew were trained to release life rafts‚ because pictures showed only one floating – unoccupied.

Daniel Heimann‚ who was part of the National Sea Rescue Institute crew‚ confirmed that there had been two rafts, but one had been too dangerous to use.

Samsa regional manager Gustav Louw said staff had been given all the appropriate training.