Police have opened an investigation into possible assault following a fight between a ferry passenger and a Gozo Channel worker that was caught on video. 

The incident, which occurred at around 2pm at Mġarr Harbour, involved two Gozitan men, both aged 62, who are from Nadur and Xagħra. 

A police spokesperson said that neither man had suffered any significant injuries but that an investigation into the incident was ongoing. 

Footage sent to Times of Malta shows a ferry worker arguing with a passenger who is driving his car onto the Gozo Channel boat.

As the car drives forward, the ferry worker keeps up the pace on foot, gesticulating as the argument continues. He then appears to stab his ticket scanner forward, into the car.

At that point, the driver stops his car and rushes out of the vehicle, lunging at the worker. 

Both men scuffled briefly, with the ferry worker flung to the ground by the angry driver, who then leapt to his feet and began to berate the stunned worker. 

Several men then rushed to the scene to break up the fight, with the driver returning to his car and then waving a paper document out of his window. 

Driver disobeyed instructions - UĦM

UĦM Voice of the Workers said in a statement on Saturday that the driver had disobeyed the worker’s instructions and wanted to board the ship without waiting. When the worker continued to warn him, he had exited the car and assaulted the worker. 

“It is utterly unacceptable that an employee gets beaten while on duty,” the union said, saying that “a culture of impunity has taken root and will persist unless drastic steps are taken cull such conduct.”

It called on Gozo Channel to take additional measures to improve the security of employees on its ships, at its terminals and offices.