Passengers Stranded 24 Hours on La Paz Ferry
After being stranded 24 hours aboard the La Paz Star ferry docked in Mazatlán due to an hydraulic failure which disabled retraction of the vehicle access ramp, passengers were finally allowed to disembark yesterday afternoon.
All passengers were aboard on Monday afternoon for the 4pm sailing when the equipment failed. After several unsuccessful attempts to repair the problem, at 1:50pm yesterday the company decided to allow passengers to disembark.
The company offered to reimburse passengers for their fare and pay toll road costs and gasoline for drivers who decided to travel to Topolobampo to catch the ferry from that port to La Paz.
For foot passengers, the company provided three buses to take them to Topolobampo to catch the California Star ferry scheduled to leave for La Paz in the middle of the night last night.
Passengers leaving the ferry told reporters they were not informed as to why the boat had not left port and that food was in short supply.
According to estimates, there were between 200 and 300 passengers aboard the disabled ferry. (from Noroeste)