Probe into Robben Island ferry safety
Plain sailing ahead; no cancellations
THE SOUTH African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) has launched a probe to determine why a Robben Island ferry, carrying more than 60 passengers, started sinking in the middle of the ocean on its way to the iconic island on Friday.
Pierre Schutz, a senior ships examiner and deputy principal officer at Samsa, said: “I can confirm an investigation is under way to determine the cause of the incident involving the tourist cruise ferry Thandi, from which 64 passengers on board and a crew of five members had to be rescued when the nose of the boat started to sink in rough seas, 3km from the Cape Town waterfront.”
DA Western Cape chairperson for Economic Opportunities, Tourism, and Agriculture in the Legislature, Beverley Schäfer, said they were “gravely” worried that the safety of the ferry service between the Nelson Mandela Gateway and Robben Island had now been brought into question.
“This incident poses a huge risk to the credibility of the ferries at the start of the province’s tourism season. Robben Island is a National Heritage Site that tourists look forward to when they visit South Africa; this can possibly be a major problem if tourists are fearful for their lives.”
Schäfer said she would be meeting MEC for Tourism Alan Winde to push for the ferry service to be moved under provincial mandate.
Schutz said, according to preliminary reports, the drama began about 2pm after the ferry, packed with passengers, and in choppy seas due to a surge of wind over the Atlantic Ocean, began taking water over the bow.
“She was taking water over the bow due to the swell and wind when the port engine room bilge alarm sounded. A crew member attended and reported to the skipper that the bilge pump couldn’t cope. A ‘May Day’ (distress call) was raised. At this stage the forward windows of the vessel were apparently broken by wave action. The main life raft was apparently swept away,” said Schutz.
At 2.18pm, the National Sea Rescue Institute was activated and, shortly thereafter, all passengers and crew were rescued.
“This involved transfer to multiple vessels, principally the Madiba 1 and all passengers and crew were landed at Mandela Gateway by approximately 4pm.”
Robben Island Museum (RIM) senior ferry manager Sandresan Thandroyan said tours were continuing as per normal for today and there had not been any cancellations.
Thandroyan said RIM was conducting an internal investigation to determine what happened.
Esa Yacoob, the owner of the Robben Island ferry, Thandi, said their priority would always be safety of their passengers. “I am grateful that no one was injured, and are concerned for the passengers that went through the traumatising experience. “We have ensured that all the passengers received medical attention as soon as they were brought to safety.
“The vessel remained afloat and had been secured at Murray Harbour, at Robben Island.”
Winde said the fact that all passengers had lifejackets was evidence that the skipper and crew were always prepared as “we know our Cape of Storms can be unpredictable”.