DFDS Ferry Hits the Ramp in Harwich

seanmacc

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23014901

From the article:

Almost 500 passengers were stranded on a ferry for more than two hours after it struck the quay while docking and started to let in water.

The DFDS ferry Sirena Seaways, with 489 passengers on board, hit Parkeston Quay, in Harwich, Essex, just after midday.

Eyewitnesses said the ship was listing after the accident, which holed the vessel beneath the water line.

Eye witness

We were coming into the port at about 11:45 BST and were due to arrive at 12:00. The ferry seemed to be coming in at quite some speed.
We heard a bang and some metallic noises. We looked out of the cabin window and could see the ship had hit a hydraulic boarding ramp and some metal bollards. The front of the ship ploughed into the quay."
"The crew were quite good and kept everybody calm. They put tea and coffee and soft drinks on for everybody."

Freak weather, a technical fault or a case of a throttle happy captain we'll probably never know.

From my time working for a particular company everytime an incident like this happens, all the captains and officers circle the wagons and state how something like this could of happened to any of them. Such loses are budgeted for and/or insured for with most companies.

Luckily from the article there were no serious injuries reported.

Tabnabs

seanmacc wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23014901

From the article:


Eye witness


Freak weather, a technical fault or a case of a throttle happy captain we'll probably never know.

From my time working for a particular company everytime an incident like this happens, all the captains and officers circle the wagons and state how something like this could of happened to any of them. Such loses are budgeted for and/or insured for with most companies.

Luckily from the article there were no serious injuries reported.

The company will have puled the black box tape immediately which will tell all sorts of pertinent information, no amount of wagon circling will cover that up.

bladebrew

There will be a MAIB investigation into the cause i would think, it mentions in the article on the bbc link that investigators are at the scene,
The detail they go into is incredible in some case, it will more than likely be a very small mistake though, they were lucky nobody was injured,

http://www.maib.gov.uk/latest_news/current_investigations.cfm

It is listed as under invetigation, someone is in trouble!! although they can take a year to finish up!

seanmacc

Those ramps don't come cheap. I'd say between the ship and the ramp you're talking tens of millions of euro in damage

Tabnabs

Out of action for a week, I know someone travelling on this route next week and they are keeping a close eye on the company website.