Three passengers were injured when a ferry struck a passenger gangway and broke three windows while backing out from the Woods Hole terminal Saturday night, according to Steamship Authority officials.
What happened?
The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority ferry Martha’s Vineyard was pulling out of the Woods Hole terminal for its 7:30 p.m. run to Oak Bluffs, according to a statement from the boat line.
The vessel struck one of two manually operated passenger gangways, which was extended beyond the platform.
Windows damaged:
Three windows on the Martha’s Vineyard’s mezzanine deck were broken, making a sound that passenger Amanda Dickinson, of West Tisbury, likened to “the sound an ice machine makes.”
“It was this funky sound,” she said.
3 injured by broken glass:
Dickinson was on the ship’s top level but went to the mezzanine after she heard the noise; she said she saw several broken windows and glass all over the floor. She talked to a woman who said her husband had been struck by broken glass, and she heard of at least one other who was injured.
Three passengers were injured by broken glass, but none required medical treatment, according to the Steamship Authority’s statement.
Berthed for repairs and maintenance:
After stopping to assess the situation, the boat continued its run to Oak Bluffs and then made its last two scheduled runs for the night, according to the ferry line. But instead of staying in Vineyard Haven for the evening, it returned to Woods Hole without passengers or vehicles and berthed overnight to allow the ferry line’s maintenance crew to cover the broken windows with plywood.
Glasses to be replaced:
Steamship Authority General Manager Robert Davis said in an email that replacement glass will be fabricated and installed on the Martha’s Vineyard this week.
Gangways assessed:
The gangways in Woods Hole were inspected and the damaged one has been repaired. Both were in service Sunday, according to the statement.
Steamship Authority officials Sunday said they did not know whether the gangway did not retract due to a mechanical failure or user error.
An investigation has been launched by the officials to determine the root cause of the incident.
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Source: Capecodtimes
