A Singapore-flagged ferry ran aground at Karang Galang reef, off the eastern coast of Batam, Indonesia, yesterday afternoon.

In a statement, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said that all 50 passengers and seven crew members on board the ferry are accounted for.

The spokesman said MPA received a report at 1.55pm yesterday about the incident involving the ferry, Wavemaster 5.

It had left Tanjung Pinang in Indonesia and was heading for Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore when the incident happened.

The ferry operator, Majestic Ferry, activated another ferry, Wavemaster 6, to transfer all the passengers to Tanah Merah.

MPA said that all passengers had safely returned to Tanah Merah as at 5.50pm yesterday.

"Passengers were systematically disembarked and provided with some food, drinks and wet towels," it said.

Staff from MPA, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, Singapore Civil Defence Force and Singapore Police Force as well as Majestic Ferry and Singapore Cruise Centre were present to assist affected passengers.

Three patrol craft were deployed by MPA and Police Coast Guard to escort the ferry to the terminal, and Majestic Ferry also arranged for 30 taxis to take affected passengers to their homes or next destination free of charge.

There are no reports of injury or oil pollution, said MPA, which is investigating the incident.