Konsortium Ferry Line Ventures operations manager Baharin Baharom said all the passengers were scheduled to board the Star City 6 Ferry from Langkawi to Kuala Perlis, but the journey could not continue as it suffered a breakdown.

He said the management provided another ferry, Bahagia 99, to take the passengers, but was hampered by a low-tide phenomenon at that time.

“We then decided that the ferry journey should be postponed to 10pm.

“If the ferry had left Langkawi at 3.30pm, then it would not be able to berth at the Kuala Perlis terminal due to the low tide. There could have been an accident at sea that would endanger passengers and crew members,” he said when contacted here today.

Baharin was explaining the situation following viral videos and pictures showing overcrowding and chaotic scenes involving passengers and ferry crew members at the Kuah terminal due to the delayed trip.

He said the commotion started as soon as his company announced that the ferry trip was delayed to 10pm, causing a handful of passengers to hurl abusive words at the workers at the terminal and ferry crew members.

It is understood that the low tide phenomenon in Kuala Perlis waters has caused all Langkawi-Kuala Perlis ferry services to be suspended until Feb 13, but people can still go to the resort island by taking a ferry at the Kuala Kedah terminal here.