Over 20 injured as Penang ferry collides with oil tanker

GEORGE TOWN – Twenty-one people were injured after an oil tanker collided with the Teluk Bahang ferry in Penang, Malaysia.Penang Port Commission (SPPP) chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said the incident occurred at 8.40pm on Sept 1 when the ferry, which had 140 passengers on board sailing from the island to the mainland, collided with the tanker sailing from Butterworth Deep Water Wharf to Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal.He said the extent of the damage was still being determined and that ferry operations would continue as usual.He also said all injured passengers had been sent to hospital for further treatment.“SPPP, together with Penang Port, will take all appropriate measures to ensure the necessary follow-up action is carried out concerning the passengers involved, while the safety and smooth operation of port operations are always guaranteed,” he said at the terminal on Sept 1.At Seberang Jaya Hospital, 23-year-old passenger Aimi said she was seated at the rear of the ferry when the collision occurred and could not see what happened.“The impact threw me backwards and I injured my leg,” she said.Another passenger, 48-year-old Azizarah, said she was travelling with her 12-year-old son Kafa.She said her son saw the vessel crossing in front of the ferry before the collision.“Everything suddenly became chaotic. I was very frightened and worried that the ferry would sink,” she said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK