Fault in fire suppression system prompts evacuation of Malta harbour ferry

A Maltese vessel operator has confirmed that a technical fault with an onboard fire suppression system had prompted the evacuation of more than 60 passengers from one of its harbour ferries as it was sailing from Mgarr to Valletta on Monday, August 23.

Gozo Fast Ferry said in a statement that a plume of white smoke was sighted in one of the interior spaces of the catamaran ferry Your Faith just as it departed Mgarr harbour at 07:45 local time on Monday.

The company said the smoke was the result of the accidental activation of the vessel’s fire suppression system and that no fire was detected.

Gozo added that the ferry’s captain followed all internal protocol procedures and initiated a precautionary evacuation to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew. The passengers were safely evacuated to shore by responding Good Samaritan vessels.

A company spokesperson said the fault has been identified and the ferry will be back in service in the coming days.