TW
0
Joan Collins THE ferry Murillo, owned by the Acciona Trasmediterranea company, which left Barcelona on Monday night bound for Mahon, arrived yesterday in Palma after nearly 16 hours at sea, provoking complaints from some of its passengers. It had been forced to divert to Palma because of strong winds in Minorca. Some passengers complained that Acciona Trasmediterranea had not offered them free meals, not even for the children. They also complained that the Captain of the ship had not explained the situation to them. Sources at the company explained that the ship set sail from Barcelona at 11pm on Monday night and was expected to arrive at Mahon around 7am yesterday but the port was closed an hour before its arrival because winds of up to 74 kilometres per hour were causing waves 4.5 metres high and it was impossible for ships to dock. The entrance to the harbour is very narrow and it would have been very dangerous for ships to attempt to pass through, said a spokesman. As well as the ferry Murillo, an oil tanker, the Mar Rocio, belonging to the company CLH was also excluded. The wind also affected the Port of Alcudia, where the companies Balearia and Iscomar had to delay the departures of their ships Ramon Llull and Nura Nova which were initially due to leave at 8am and 8.30am respectively, both bound for Ciutadella. The north winds which hit Minorca at 74kph, causing waves of up to four metres, isolated the island by sea.