The Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA) has dismissed recent social media reports suggesting a sea accident and the drifting of the MV Murzuk ferry, describing the claims as outdated and misleading.
In an official statement released on Sunday, SLMA clarified that the viral post referencing a recent sea mishap does not reflect any current incident.
“The post referring to a recent sea accident is outdated and completely misleading,” the release stated. “It does not correspond to any recent incident officially reported to, or investigated by, the SLMA since the start of the current rainy season.”
On the issue of the MV Murzuk ferry, SLMA confirmed the vessel encountered a minor technical fault during its voyage to the Kissy Terminal on Saturday, 2 August 2025.
“The ferry experienced a minor technical issue with its hydraulic steering pump,” the administration said. “However, the situation was swiftly brought under control by the vessel’s crew in accordance with established safety protocols, allowing for safe berthing of the ferry.”
SLMA assured the public that there is no cause for alarm and that the MV Murzuk is “fully operational.”
The maritime authority also cautioned the public against circulating unverified information, noting that such actions could incite unnecessary panic.
“We strongly urge the public to desist from sharing unverified or outdated information that may cause undue alarm or public concern,” the SLMA advised. “For accurate and timely maritime updates, we encourage the public to rely solely on official communications from the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration.”
SLMA further encouraged citizens to report maritime incidents by calling their toll-free hotline 855 via the Orange network.
