BUTTERWORTH, Sept 2 - A ship collided with a Penang ferry near the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal tonight, leaving 21 people injured, including six seriously.
Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin confirmed that the collision involving the ferry Teluk Bahang and the vessel MV Mekar Jaya occurred within Penang Port limits at 8.40 pm.
He said initial information indicated that MV Mekar Jaya was travelling from the Butterworth Deep Water Wharves (BDWW) to the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal (SPCT).
“The collision occurred between the vessel and the ferry, which was heading towards the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal. Initial reports indicate that 21 people were injured.
“All injured passengers have been taken to hospital for treatment, and no victims remain at the terminal. Ferry operations are continuing as usual and have not been affected by the incident,” he said in a statement last night.
Penang Fire and Rescue Department operations and fire division assistant director John Sagun Francis said the department received an emergency call about the incident at 9.58 pm, after which a team from the Butterworth Fire and Rescue Station was dispatched to the scene.
“Upon arrival, officers found that the accident involved the passenger ferry Teluk Bahang and a ship. A total of 92 people, including passengers, were involved in the incident, with initial reports indicating that six suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital,” he said.
Earlier, video clips shared on social media showed several motorcycles lying on their sides inside the ferry following the collision.
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