For a fast free quote for ferry travel and to compare ferries for your route from every ferry operator enter your details above.

powered by AFerry.to

Ferry drama marks anniversary of high seas tragedy

Ferry Online Travel News 07/02/2008

← | Index | →

A ferry had to be evacuated from bad weather conditions

February 1st was the anniversary of the Princess Victoria ferry disaster and the day of a dramatic ferry evacuation that almost mirrored the tragedy of 1953.

As the lives of the 130 passengers who died on board the Princess Victoria were being commemorated, a freak wave hit the vessel Riverdance as it battled high seas in bad weather. A total of 19 crew members and four passengers had to flown safely ashore.

In 1953, the passenger ship known as the Princess Victoria sunk just off the coast of County Down with 177 passengers on board. Of those, only 44 people survived the crossing between Scotland and Larne.

In a situation very similar to the conditions of 1953, bad weather beset last week’s crossing of the Riverdance. The same freak giant waves crashed upon the vessel, endangering all aboard. The high winds on the Irish Sea caused the boat to run aground just off Blackpool.

The Riverdance is owned by Starstruck Ferries. A representative from the company commented: "The conditions are such that the master requested helicopter transfer of all personnel: All nine (crew members) are now safely off."

He added: "The issue was that as we approached high water the vessel started to rotate broadside on the beach. The high swell caused a list and, under those circumstances, the master decided safety came first."

During the bad weather conditions, a trawler, the Spinningdale, also ran aground, the winds and waves driving the boat into the rocks near some steep cliffs on the Scottish island of St Kilda.

← Storm Force 10 closes ferry ports | Index | Salvage of Riverdance begun →