140 stranded as Langkawi ferry runs aground

KANGAR: A total of 140 passengers and crew members on board a ferry from Langkawi to Kuala Perlis were stranded for almost five hours after a rope got twisted around the vessel’s propeller at about 8pm Monday (May 15) night.

According to a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) source, the ferry ran aground about 2.5 nautical miles south-west of Kuala Perlis.

"MMEA assets were deployed to the scene of the incident to monitor the work carried out by the ferry company and all passengers arrived safely at the Kuala Perlis Ferry Terminal at 12.20am today,” he said when contacted by reporters early Tuesday (May 16) morning.

Meanwhile, Konsortium Ferry Line Ventures Sdn Bhd’s human resources and operations manager, Captain Baharin Baharom, when contacted, said the ferry ran aground with only 0.9km remaining on its journey.

"The propeller of the ferry got caught in a rope which is believed to have drifted in the waters causing the trip to be delayed and we have sent a tow boat and everything is safe and back to normal,” he said. - Bernama