Voyager ferry sustains damage in accident en route to St. Barths

MARIGOT–The Voyager 1 ferry hit a rock on its scheduled crossing to St. Barths on Saturday evening during a passing squall of rainy weather but was able to continue on to Gustavia, St. Barths, the Gendarmerie reported on Sunday.

The accident occurred in very poor visibility between 7:00pm and 7:30pm, passing Ile Fourche, Capitaine Régis Turlan Arto said, adding that there may also have been a malfunction with the vessel’s rudder.

Thirty one passengers and crew were on board the vessel which left the dock at 6:45pm for the last trip of the day.

Three passengers and one crew member were slightly hurt in the collision. They were checked out at the hospital in Gustavia and released. The vessel was able to continue to St. Barths as the damage was above the water line. It was brought back to Oyster Pond without passengers on Sunday.

Managing Director of Voyager Ferries Jean-Claude Latournerie said the cause of the accident is under investigation.

“All I know is that there was bad weather at the time of the accident, somewhere at the middle of the crossing,” said Latournerie. “The ferry is back in Oyster Pond. No water got into the vessel and I must stress all the passengers and crew were safe and accounted for. At this point I don’t know the extent of the damage.”

Voyager Ferries has three vessels in its fleet, Voyager 1 and 2, and the latest, Voyager Dreamliner.

Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/68951-voyager-ferry-sustains-damage-in-accident-en-route-to-st-barths

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