Faulty fuel pump blamed for ferry stranded for 5 hours

TISBURY, Mass. – Officials say a faulty fuel pump is to blame for a ferry losing power off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, stranding 72 passengers for five hours.

The Cape Cod Times reports the ferry’s fuel oil transfer pump was not generating enough pressure to transfer oil properly. The issue caused the ferry to lose power about 15 minutes into a trip from Vineyard Haven to Woods Hole on Saturday evening.

Steamship Authority General Manager Robert Davis says the ferry was cleared to return to service Monday morning.

The ferry had just gone back in service March 7 after an $18.5 million refurbishment. Davis says the pump had not been reset during the work, and both an alarm and a pressure gauge failed to alert the crew of an issue.

___

Information from: Cape Cod (Mass.) Times, http://www.capecodtimes.com