74 people rescued from Fred Olsen's Bentago Express ferry in Gran Canaria

   January 9, 2021 ,   Accidents

Successfully was concluded the rescue operation to disembark a total of 74 people on a passenger ferry stranded due to Storm Filomena while maneuvering for docking in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Canary Islands).

The 112 emergency services alerted last night that Bentago Express (2000-built HSC/High-Speed Craft/catamaran ferry) that covers the regular route between Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife - had run aground Thursday night, January 7, in Port Agaete (Gran Canaria).

Despite attempts to safely disembark the 17 crew and 57 passengers, the operation could not be completed. It was resumed again in the early hours of Friday morning, January 8. The complicated manoeuvre took all morning. All people have now been taken to Agaete Port and checked over by the Red Cross.

An operation was carried out with the support of tugboats to disembark the crew and passengers from the ferry ship owned by Fred Olsen Express. It was secured and brought near the dock, with the help of the first 3 fishing boats and then another 3 Maritime Salvage boats.

In a statement, the shipping company said that the accident that Bentago Express had suffered during the approach to the dock had been due to “severe weather conditions”, specifically the southwest wind blowing in that Gran Canaria's area.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Canary Islands)

Image: Port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Canary Islands)

All the people onboard the ferry had been “well and informed at all times,” 112 said.

At around 9:00 a.m., the 112 Emergency services in the Canaries reported that due to the low tide, the manoeuvre to disembark the crew and passengers had not been possible and would be carried out at high tide.