Ferry with 400 people on board docks in Canouan after 8 hours adrift

The MV Gem Star 2 arrived in Canouan around 3:23 a.m. Monday after about eight hours adrift at sea after its propellers reportedly were entangled in a rope.

The vessel was returning to Canouan from an excursion to Carriacou when the incident occurred sometime around 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

“The M V Gem Star 2 just arrived in Canouan safely. We will update you when she leaves Canouan. Thankful to God for his travelling mercies,” the ferry said in a post on its Facebook page at 3:23 a.m.

About 400 passengers spent about five hours waiting for a tug to arrive to help the stricken vessel.

“Although this has been such a long gruelling experience, it is really heartwarming to hear all the stories of how you kept each other’s company and passed the time,” the vessel said in a Facebook page at 12:56 a.m.

“Just to manage your expectations, a tug boat moves very slowly. But with God on our side we shall soon be in Canouan,” the post said.

The vessel said at 10:42 p.m. that the Coast Guard was alongside the vessel and they thanked the authorities for sending the Coast Guard, “so our customers and crew can feel a bit safer”.

At that time, the Facebook post had said that the tug was about one hour and 15 minutes away from the ferry.

“We know it’s late and dark and we are so very sorry for this unfortunate experience with us. You know how much Uncle Gussie loves all his customers,” the post said, referring to the captain of the vessel.

“He is very saddened by this incident.”

Gem star first commented on the incident on its Facebook page at 9:01 p.m. about 90 minutes after it occurred, by which time there had been multiple media reports on it, even as passengers on board had contacted their relatives and friends, relaying varying version of what had happened.

In its initial post, the ferry company did not speak to the incident, but reported that “everyone is OK and the vessel is waiting to be pulled in to Canouan”.

The initial post said that everyone on board “has signal so you can reach out to your loved ones”, a reference to cellular connectivity.

“We will keep you updated as to the progress throughout the night. While we understand that sensational headlines are exciting in journalism, we ask everyone to remain calm until the captain and engineers can diagnose the problem and explain to us all,” the company said, without explaining that the ferry’s engine was not functioning and it was awaiting the arrival of other vessel to tow it to shore.

However, a passenger on board the vessel told iWitness News around 8 p.m. Sunday that the situation on board was “frantic” while another passenger said that it was “calm” as they awaited the arrival of other vessels to assist.

Joel Bibby aka Tha Fugitive, a promoter who was the featured DJ on the excursion, told iWitness News that passengers had realised that something was wrong when they saw a puff of smoke and the engine stopped.

“The announcement that they made was that a rope got caught in the engine, and the engine basically burned out and it cannot be restarted at the moment,” he told iWitness News.

Bibby said that passengers had been concerned but had begun to calm down when they were informed that a tug and another ferry were on the way to assist.

“So, we are just here waiting until they come so that we can be towed into Canouan,” he had said in the interview around 8 p.m.

“It is calm. There is no panic or anything. Everybody is just relaxed and waiting for them to come,” he said.

Some reports had indicated that there was a fire in the engine room of the vessel, but Bibby said there was no smoke after the initial incident.

“Earlier when it happened, there was a burst of smoke but that was it.”

He said the atmosphere on the ferry was not frantic, as another passenger had described it.

“You are not hearing any noise or anything. Everybody is just cool. After they made the announcement, everybody got a better understanding of what was happening,” Bibby said.

“When they announced, it was more relaxing to hear that one of the Express was on the way,” Bibby said.

“So, it is just a matter of sitting and waiting it out. … people are still buying drinks and all. People are still relaxing, some sleeping,” he had said, adding that the ferry was somewhere off Canouan at the time of the interview.

Gem Star 2 replaced Gem Star, which fire destroyed in April 2019.

In April 2019, after smouldering for more than 36 hours while docked in Kingstown, the MV Gem Star was engulfed in flames when firemen opened a door to an area where carbon dioxide was being used to try to extinguish the fire.

The 150-foot vessel was then towed towards the western end of Kingstown Bay, where flames reduced it to a floating hull.

The floating remains of the vessel had drifted at sea overnight before being towed to the Ottley Hall Shipyard and Marina.