‘Felt like it was going to sink’: Passengers told to get off struggling CityCat

About 40 passengers were told to get off a Brisbane ferry before their stop on Thursday morning, with one saying the vessel “felt dodgy from the minute we took off”.

Just after 8am, the CityCat pulled up at the Sydney Street terminal in New Farm when the ferry was sitting low in the water.

The crew announced over the loudspeaker that 40 people needed to get off. After dozens disembarked, staff said they needed 10 more, according to a person on the CityCat.

Passengers mill at a Brisbane River ferry terminal after being told to alight from a CityCat.

The service was travelling on an express service upstream into the Brisbane CBD.

“[It] felt like it was going to sink and water seemed to be coming on,” a passenger said.

“It felt dodgy from the minute we took off and was travelling well under normal speed.

“We hit a bit of wake from a tugboat and that’s when water started shooting up from what looked to be like a drain or porthole on the front deck.”

A Brisbane City Council spokeswoman confirmed travellers were told to get off the CityCat, but said only “several people” needed to disembark.

The spokeswoman said the boat did not take on water, and earlier reports it was an “evacuation” were incorrect as most passengers remained on the ferry.

She said it was not unusual for ferries to ask some passengers to get off mid-journey.

Another vessel was close behind and able to pick up the city-bound passengers, the council said.

CityCats are understood to have a capacity of 170 people, but since the introduction of 50¢ fares in August last year, are sometimes so full that people are turned away.

Translink’s most recent monthly customer experience survey showed ferries, including CityCats, were the highest rated mode of transport, but satisfaction rates have fallen.