A PASSENGER ferry linking the Costa del Sol with the Spanish-owned city-province of Melilla on the northern Moroccan coast crashed into a pier yesterday (Monday) due to a 'mechanical fault'.
The second ferry in a week to suffer a port-side collision, the Baleària ship was entering Málaga harbour when it bumped into the breakwater near the Levante Pier, close to the cruise-liner station.
Nobody was hurt in the crash, but some damage is thought to have been caused to the ship.
Port authorities and the Guardia Civil went on board immediately to check whether any of the 143 travellers needed medical assistance.
None of them did, but seven of them were arrested as they turned out to be stowaways trying to enter Spain illegally, having slipped through the border from Morocco into Melilla and onto the ship.
Two of them had jumped overboard when the ferry collided with the pier, and were rescued by the Guardia Civil before being handed over to the National Police.
Three stowaways were taken to Málaga maternity and paediatric hospital for bone density and height checks, as it was suspected they may be minors.
The ferry was turned around in the port and is due to be inspected for damage to the hull.
Baleària said the crash was caused by a mechanical fault, not by human error.
The next crossing from Málaga to Melilla, due at 19.30 last night, was delayed until 22.00 as the firm had to source another vessel.
Just a few days ago, an inter-island passenger ferry heading for Tenerife collided with the pier in the port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria as it was setting off.
Again, nobody was hurt, although on this occasion, over 25,000 litres of fuel were spilt over the sea.
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