Ferry services resume on S China strait

Ferry services on the Qiongzhou Strait in south China's Hainan Province resumed at 12:20 p.m. Sunday after hours of suspension due to heavy fog, according to local authorities.

Heavy fog disrupts once again ferry services on the Qiongzhou Strait in south China on February 25, 2018. [Photo: VCG]

The fog lasted between Saturday night and Sunday morning, triggering multiple suspensions of ferry services, local meteorology and maritime departments said.

Before the ferry services were resumed, nearly 8,000 cars carrying tens of thousands of passengers were still waiting at the ports to leave Hainan for Guangdong Province via the Qiongzhou strait.

Passengers are heading home after spending their Spring Festival holiday on the island. Hainan, known for its tropical climate and clean air, is a popular destination for Chinese tourists in winter.

According to the local government, about 90,000 vehicles containing over 400,000 tourists had arrived on the island during this year's Spring Festival holiday lasting from Feb. 15 to Feb. 21.

Shipping on the Qiongzhou Strait, the only way for cars to leave the island for Guangdong, was suspended Wednesday night due to heavy fog. Ferries resumed Thursday morning as visibility improved.