ALOR STAR: The Kedah government will improve the standard operating procedure (SOP) for ferries sailing in bad weather to ensure the safety of passengers.
Kedah Agriculture and Agro-Based, Transport and Primary Industry Committee chairman Azman Nasrudin said the review enables the Marine Department to stop ferries from sailing in bad weather. At the moment, ferry operators would only be advised against sailing in bad weather.
A ferry was hit by big wave from a storm on Aug 10, traumatising its 217 passengers. It was sailing from Kuala Kedah to Langkawi when it was caught in stormy waters at 5.38pm a day after Typhoon Lekima hit the region.
“We are grateful no one was injured and the passengers arrived safely at the dock around 7:40pm but there was vomiting, in addition a line of chairs were damaged and broken during the trip,” he said in a press conference in Wisma Darul Aman, here today.
“However, we (state govt) and the Maritime Department were not informed of the incident until we received information from the public and the incident went viral.”
Also present was Northern Region Marine Department Asisstant Chief Director Ghazali Ahmad.
Azman said the Marine Department would issue alerts on weather and sea conditions to alert ferry operators. However, it is no position to stop them from sailing.
