About 30 to 40 people were left disappointed on Friday evening as the first ferry trip with the MV Deluxe had to be abandoned due to rough seas.
Ashley Lindsey, Director of the Access Division said most of the passengers booked on the Friday ferry have been placed on charter flights into Montserrat for Saturday. He also explained that the online booking portal at www.ferry.mniaccess.com has been temporarily suspended to reduce the number of people they would need to process as they wait for the ferry service to resume.
A notice on ZJB Radio Montserrat said “The Access Division, Office of the Premier has announced that due to sea conditions and unforeseen challenges, the scheduled ferry service from Friday, March 10th to Sunday, March 12th has been canceled.
“All passengers who made bookings during period should await further updates regarding transport to Montserrat from ZJB Radio Montserrat and the Access Division. The ferry booking system will also be temporarily closed.
“Persons with queries should contact the Access Division at accessmni@gov.ms or 491 3378 or Whatsapp 664 392 3600.”
The Little Bay pier was being battered on Friday evening from the high surf which is expected to continue throughout the weekend. Boats, including several cargo vessels, have been unable to dock at the pier over the past two days.
The Access Division announced on Friday morning that the ferry service would operate from today, until April 7th. However, the service is at the mercy of the waves, which traditionally are a challenge during this season.
It is hoped that the waters will improve by Sunday for the morning and afternoon trips as the next scheduled ferry will be Tuesday, March 14.
