A number of people were hurt – none seriously – after they fell on each other when a gate leading to the ferry at Mgarr harbour terminal building was closed.

An eyewitness told Times of Malta that the incident happened shortly before 6 p.m. yesterday.

Beatrice Galea said there were many people returning to Malta. As they went up the escalator in the Mgarr terminal building, somebody decided that enough passengers had embarked and the glass door was therefore closed.

But below, people were unaware of what was happening, and since the escalator was not switched off, more people went up until they had nowhere else to go and trampled on each other amid panic and screaming.

Ms Galea said she injured a foot and a friend was slightly injured and suffered a panic attack.

Other people said six people were hurt.

Eventually the escalator was stopped and people could go down, easing the pressure.

Gozo Channel chairman Joe Cordina said the company would examine CCTV to assess what had happened. It was too early to comment at this time but it appeared that normal procedures had been followed, he said. However there had been a big number of people, including several groups, and some people had surged forward to get on board before others.

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