About 40 passengers sustained light injuries when a ferry bumped into a pier in Hong Kong’s financial district on Friday morning. Photo: Jelly Tse / William Yiu - SCMP
HONG KONG (SCMP/Agencies): Hong Kong authorities have pledged to inspect the structure and parts of a pier in Central after it was struck by a ferry in an accident that left 41 passengers with slight injuries.
The scope of the investigation would also include the ferry captain’s steering, the Marine Department said, adding that the ship was found to be in a good condition after an inspection in March.
HK Electric, one of the city’s two power companies, said a contractor arranged for the vessel to ferry outsourced staff to Lamma Power Station for construction work.
Hung Shing-yau, an assistant division officer with the Fire Services Department, said it was notified of the accident at 7.11am.
The boat was carrying about 120 passengers and had struck Pier 9 in Central, authorities said.
“When the ferry involved was going to dock, it accidentally hit the pier,” Hung said, adding that 96 firefighters and paramedics were deployed in response.
For the record, the ferry crashed into Hong Kong’s Central Pier while docking on Friday, injuring dozens of passengers.
Thirty-four males, aged 27 to 74, were taken to three hospitals across the city - Queen Mary, Ruttonjee and Eastern hospitals - police said.
The Tsui Wah Ferry Service vessel was carrying 110 passengers and staff when it lost control as it was berthing in Central Pier.
The Marine Department said it was investigating the matter.
Police said the accident took place at Pier 9 in Central at around 7.14am (6.14am Thailand time), with the boat operating under the Tsui Wah Ferry Service and carrying 130 passengers.
The force said medical assistance was being offered to the 41 passengers who suffered slight injuries and added that only the ship's passengers had suffered any injuries, with the boat's captain unharmed.
According to local media, the boat typically ferries employees to work at Lamma Power Station and runs between Tsim Sha Tsui, Central and Lamma Island.
