A Ro-Pax ferry operated by Italian transport company Caremar was refloated on the evening (local time) of Monday, October 12, after running aground while manoeuvring in Procida harbour with 115 passengers aboard.
No injuries were reported following the grounding of the vessel, identified as the 1,397GT Driade.
The ferry had departed Calata di Massa in Naples at 17:35 bound for Ischia, with an intermediate call at Procida Island. Local outlet Il Golfo 24 reported that strong winds caused the ferry to lose alignment with the berth and pushed her towards the outer breakwater on the right-hand side of the harbour.
According to news agency ANSA, the ferry ran aground on the harbour's sandy bottom. Local personnel helped free her at around 20:00 after about an hour and a half aground, and she then berthed normally at the port quay.
Passengers were unable to disembark until the recovery manoeuvres were complete. Those continuing to Ischia, along with their vehicles, were transferred to another Caremar vessel that had arrived at Procida from Naples.
The island's port captaincy ordered Driade detained after she berthed.
She remained under detention while inspections were carried out and was released the following morning to resume services linking Procida and Ischia with Pozzuoli and Naples.
Built in 1980 by Luigi Orlando, Driade has a length of 69.6 metres. Caremar listed her capacity at 690 passengers and 45 cars.