An outlying island ferry struck a barrier at a typhoon shelter in Hong Kong shortly after midnight on Monday, with passengers recalling being jolted and struggling to retrieve life jackets as they were stranded on the vessel for more than an hour.
The small crowd was returning home on Mother’s Day on Sunday and caught the last ferry to Mui Wo at 12.30am the next day from Central ferry pier No 6.
But some 25 minutes later at 12.55am, the First Ferry VI vessel crashed into the Hei Ling Chau typhoon shelter barrier.
Rescue teams arrived around 2.10am and passengers were brought to Mui Wo ferry pier 20 minutes later.
A Marine Department spokeswoman said officials were aware of the incident and that details were pending.
A passenger named Zoie told the South China Morning Post that she was “literally jolted off our seats”.
