Thirty-four ferry passengers were injured, one seriously, after their vessel crashed into Central Pier 9 at around 7:30 am on Friday.  

Most sustained minor injuries, including bleeding from the nose and mouth. Paramedics provided treatment on-site and 34 people, including the seriously injured passenger, were taken to hospital for further treatment.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics Bureau Lam Sai-hung expressed concern about the incident and extended his sympathies to the injured, saying that the Marine Department will investigate the cause of the accident.

The ferry, operated by Tsui Wah Ferry Service HK Limited, was on its way to Lamma Island from Central. According to HK Electric, the ferry was taking outsourced workers to the Lamma power station for a construction project.

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Fire Services Department Assistant Divisional Officer Hung Shing-Yau said that at the time of the accident, there were about 120 people on board, and preliminary investigations indicated that the ferry collided with the pier while preparing to dock.

Three fireboats, six fire trucks, and 15 ambulances raced to the scene, involving 96 personnel, Hung added.

Hung also noted that the department checked the condition of the injured and assessed that the ferry had not taken in water, the situation was stable and no one was trapped. All the injured were rescued within about 20 minutes.

Senior Ambulance Officer Lawrence Lam Ho-cheung said that, among the 34 injured, one seriously injured male had back pain and hand numbness, while the other 33 mainly sustained abrasions.

The injured were sent to Queen Mary Hospital, Ruttonjee Hospital, and Eastern Hospital for treatment.

Senior Marine Officer Tsui Chun-Kin noted that the department was concerned about the incident and would require the ferry company to submit an accident report.

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The ferry involved was allowed to carry a maximum of 178 passengers, and it was known that there were 118 passengers at the time of the accident, so there was no overloading, Tsui noted.

Tsui also mentioned that the ferry had undergone a hull structure inspection in March, and the results were normal; the cause of the collision and the speed of the vessel at the time of the incident are still under investigation, he said.

Tsui stressed that the Marine Department is currently investigating the vessel’s structure, machinery, and the captain’s attitude while driving the boat.

The roads leading to the pier were temporarily sealed off. 

The collision led to significant damage to the right side of the front of the pier.  

Another ferry was arranged to ship uninjured passengers to their destination.

Contact the writer at fangxue@chinadailyhk.com