Tourist: I feel unsafe on the ferry

Tourist: I feel unsafe on the ferry

AN Australian tourist has claimed that the ferry that departs from Penang to Langkawi is unsafe as there are no proper evacuation exits if accidents are to occur in the high seas.

Retired fisheries enforcement officer Peter Sullivan, 63, who took a trip from Penang to Langkawi, noticed that there was no briefing given to the passengers on how to wear life jackets and how to evacuate themselves in the event of an accident.

He said the passengers’ luggage were piled up beside the main entrance of the ferry.

“Another exit was blocked by a hawker who sold drinks and snacks at the ferry,” claimed Sullivan who is also a licensed lifesaving instructor in Melbourne.

“If an accident were to happen, passengers would (usually) panic and rush to take their luggage, money and passports.

“In their haste, they may block the exits or entrance,” he said.

“The crew members were also difficult to identify as they were not in uniform.

“They were only wearing T-shirts like any other passengers,” he added.

“Who are we going to ask for help if anything happened?” Sullivan asked.

He said his first time to Langkawi by ferry was three years ago and the condition was not as bad as now.

“This time, I somehow felt uncomfortable and unsafe in the ferry, even though I am a good swimmer,” he said.

He added that the ferries in Australia would not be allowed to depart without any briefing session to passengers.

When contacted, a ferry operator who declined to be named, said there was no standard practice for the crew to give briefing to passengers, as what cabin crew did in air-craft.

He said the ferry that Sullivan took on April 16, had seven television sets in total to play videos on how to wear life jackets, as per required by the Marine Department.

“All the six crew members in the ferry have lifesaving licences approved by the Marine Department.

“And there are posters and notices for passengers to read,” he said.

A Marine Department (northern region) spokesman said all ferries in the port would be inspected by one officer before departure.

“We would ensure that the operators show the videos as well as place posters of the evacuation plan in the ferries,” he said.

He added that it was not compulsory for ferry crew to be in uniform, as it was up to the operators to decide.

Commenting on the hawker, he said there were no rules and regulations prohibiting food from being sold inside the ferries, as long as they were kept clean.

He urged passengers to go to the Marine Department office at 1-A, Lebuh Light Street or call 04-6578494 to give feed- back or to lodge complaints about the service.

~News courtesy of The Star~