The captain of the US ferry Iyanough mistook a metal pole and two boat masts for buoys moments before a serious allision with a breakwater.
The 16 June accident at Hyannis Harbor involving the 393-pax ship (built 2007) injured 15 people.
The ferry's owner, Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, said a preliminary probe showed the pole at the end of the breakwater and the two sailboats were in the exact pattern of buoys 4, 5 and 6 that mark the entrance into the harbour.
General manager Wayne Lamson said eight-foot waves shielded the breakwater from both the vessel’s radar and the crew’s sight until it was too late to avoid the structure, according to the Cape Cod Times.
And he added: “I do not feel it would be appropriate to speculate about the cause of the incident,” he said. “Suffice it to say we are looking at all potentially contributing factors, including actions and the operational aspects of the captain and pilot.”
The captain had earlier asked the pilot to use the vessel’s light to find buoy 4 in poor visibility, but it was unable to be located, leaving the bridge to rely on the radar.
A master and pilot had previously been placed on administrative leave following the crash.
