Gozo Fast Ferry says ‘fire’ was really a technical fault that activated vessel’s fire suppression system

Following a preliminary review of an apparent fire on Monday morning onboard a Gozo Fast Ferry vessel, resulting in the evacuation of staff and passengers, the company clarified that it was not actually a fire, but a “technical fault that resulted in the automatic activation of the vessel’s fire suppression system”.

The plume of white smoke was released just as the vessel — Your Faith — was leaving Mġarr Harbour on the 7.45am trip. “The smoke that ensued was part of the activation of the fire suppression system onboard and no fire was detected,” the company said. No passengers or crew were injured throughout the incident.

Gozo Fast Ferry added that the captain followed all internal protocol procedures and initiated a precautionary evacuation to ensure the safety of all the passengers on board.

“The passengers were kept informed throughout.”  The company thanked all those on board for following the advice of its crew and helping to facilitate a calm and orderly evacuation of the vessel.

A company spokesperson said the fault has been identified and the vessel is expected to be back in service in the coming days.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused and would like to thank the respective authorities for their immediate response and assistance,” the spokesperson said.

An updated schedule of the Gozo Fast Ferry trips over the coming days is available online www.gozofastferry.com.