Hundreds stranded after ferry overshoots ramp

Hundreds of passengers were stranded for an hour at the Likoni Ferry channel Thursday evening after a ferry over shot a ramp due to high speed and low tides

The ferry, Mv Kwale stalled on the Island side of the channel forcing the Kenya Ferry Service personnel to recall two ferries to ease the increasing number of people and vehicle crossing to the mainland side of the channel.

Traffic started building along Nyerere Avenue leading to Likoni Ferry area, a stretch of about five kilometres from the Central Business District as a result of the hitch.

Stranded passengers interviewed at the ferry were urged by the Coxswain to maintain calm as the management tried to sort the matter.

The MV Nyayo was brought to ease congestion but a truck that had stalled on its way out further added to delays of offloading the ferry.

While the passengers waited to cross the channel, Rama Karisa who had a patient from the Pandya Memorial Hospital blamed the ferry services for the problem.

“I have been on the road for about two hours but the traffic is moving slowly, I don’t know the time that my patient will reach home, “he said.

The Ferry Service returned to normal after 2 hours but the MV Kwale had not left the ramp due to the low tides.