The interruption coincides with the paralysis of a journey that, according to rumors, occurred due to lack of fuel
14ymedio, Havana, 4 November 2024 — The ferry service, which crosses the Bay of Havana between central Havana and Regla, was suspended this weekend, and it is unknown when it will resume. The provincial transport company of Havana announced the decision for the first time on Saturday, and although the boat circulated again the next day, at 6 pm, coinciding with the decision to put the entire west and center of Cuba on alert because of the proximity of a tropical depression that could become a storm, the measure was announced again this Sunday.
“Taking into account the situation existing at this minute in the Bay of Havana, due to the force of the winds that offer danger to navigation, it was decided to suspend the service of the Regla ferry on its last lap, in order to protect the lives of passengers and the environment. It will be restored as soon as possible, weather permitting,” the company announced on Facebook, urging passengers to travel by bus and apologizing “for the inconvenience caused.”
The message was almost identical to the one the day before: “Taking into account the deterioration of the existing weather conditions and their impact on navigation at the moment in the Bay of Havana, it was decided to stop the transportation service by the Regla ferry from 5:40 pm on November 2, 2024, until the weather allows it to be restored,” the company announced. It also urged people to opt for road transport but hours later warned that the road was not very clear either.
Also on that occasion it urged people to opt for road transport but hours later warned that the road was not very clear either
“Due to the non-availability of fuel at the supply points of some bus terminals, the means of transport have had to move to other bases that have enough fuel. It was advised that buses run on the routes that link these terminals, and once they are refueled, they will be incorporated into their usual routes to continue providing services to the town,” it added, questioning the option of being able to choose any public transport.
The shutdown of the service coincided with a video of the ferry stopping before reaching its final destination, which went viral. Internet users have shared the video countless times. Its recording date is unknown, although it could have been taken on Friday when the sea was calm, something that didn’t happen during the weekend.
The rumor circulating on social networks is that the boat must have stopped when it ran out of fuel before completing the journey, running aground far from its pier at the Muelle de Luz. Although the video clearly shows the ferry stopping, it has not been possible to confirm what happened, how the passengers were informed or how they were rescued.
The Regla ferry is one of the transports with the most ups and downs in Havana. Its countless breakdowns constantly force the suspension of service, with the peak in July 2023, when service was suspended at the pier because all six boats were broken.
This May, one of the last serious incidents occurred, when according to a statement from the Provincial Transport Company, the propeller of the engine “came loose” and was lost in the water, forcing divers to try to locate it and increasing the uncertainty of those who use the connection daily to get to their work in the coastal town across the bay from Havana.
Since the Rafter Crisis in the summer of 1994, the authorities decided to limit the fuel supply of the vessel
Since the Rafter Crisis in the summer of 1994, the authorities decided to limit the fuel supply of the vessel to only the amount it needs for each trip, a way to prevent the boat from being stolen by people desperate to emigrate, who seek to take it out of the bay and direct it towards the coast of the United States. Every time the boat docks at the pier of Old Havana, it must be refueled.
In April 2003, the Regla ferry was hijacked by a group of migrants shortly after starting its journey and ran out of fuel in a short time. Ten people were arrested in the incident. Most were sentenced to prison, while Lorenzo Copello, Bárbaro Sevilla and Jorge Martínez were sentenced to death and shot nine days later. That incident was denounced by the international community.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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