Updated | No fire on Gozo Fast Ferry, company says smoke caused by fault that triggered anti-fire system

Updated at 5:52pm with company statement

What appeared to have been a minor fire on a vessel operated by Gozo Fast Ferry on Monday morning turned out to have been the result of a technical fault that triggered the vessel's fire suppression system.

Shortly after leaving Gozo's Mġarr Harbour at 7:45am, a plume of smoke was seen coming out of the vessel Your Faith. According to the company, the smoke was part of the activation of the fire suppression system onboard.

Despite the system being triggered, no fire was actually detected on board during the company's preliminary review of the situation.

"The captain followed all internal protocol procedures and initiated a precautionary evacuation to ensure the safety of all the passengers on board. The passengers were kept informed throughout," the operator said in a statement.

The company thanked all passengers on board the vessel for following the advice of its crew and for helping to facilitate a calm and orderly evacuation of the vessel. 

Meanwhile, a company spokesperson said that the fault has been identified and the vessel is expected to be back in service in the coming days.

Earlier on Monday, police confirmed that the Civil Protection Department was dispatched to ensure the fire was put out and to supervise the operation.  

The operator apologised for the inconvenience caused and thanked the authorities for their “immediate response and assistance.”

An updated schedule of today’s trips has been uploaded online at www.gozofastferry.com.