Updated 1.55pm with MTA reply
Over 700 passengers were left out at sea for more than two hours last Saturday due to a delay in re-opening the Grand Harbour following a fireworks show.
The delay was caused by a setback in the clearing of barges and pontoons used for the fireworks display, which marked the finale of the International Fireworks festival.
According to a local notice to mariners issued by Transport Malta before the festival, the Grand Harbour was to be closed to commercial or private boats between 3pm and 10.50pm on Saturday.
Virtu Ferries, which operates a catamaran service between the Sicilian port of Pozzallo and the Grand Harbour, delayed the departure of its Saturday evening ferry by an hour to adhere to those instructions.
A passenger on that trip told Times of Malta that the company had informed all passengers of the scheduled one-hour delay.
Yet despite reaching the Grand Harbour at 11.10pm, the vessel was left waiting outside the harbour for hours.
"The vessel was jam-packed with people, around 700-750 people just waiting. It was extremely infuriating," a passenger said.
The catamaran finally made it to shore at 1.50am.
A Virtu Ferries spokesperson confirmed the delay.
"The port notice is very clear. All should have been clear by 22.50, but there was a delay and our vessel was asked to wait outside port," they said.
Delay outside Transport Malta's control
A Transport Malta spokesperson said the problem was caused by a delay in the clearing of barges and pontoons from the fairway.
Pontoons and barges are flat-bottomed boats used for cargo transportation. In this case, the boats were used to transport the fireworks to the bay.
"Due to delays outside Transport Malta's control, the clearing of barges and pontoons from the fairway (which is not TM's responsibility) prior to the opening of the port was delayed. In line with the safety of navigations, port opening had to be delayed," the spokesperson said.
Maritime sources told Times of Malta that the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) is responsible for the clearing of barges and pontoons.
An MTA spokesperson said that "a review is being carried out" into the incident but did not comment any further.