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Ferry collision investigated

Ferry Online Travel News 25/02/2008

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A ferry slipped its berth and crashed into an oil rig

An investigation began on Saturday into the collision of a ferry with an oil rig in the Port of Tyne, in New Castle on Friday. The King of Scandinavia, a ferry of transporting up to 2,000 passengers, slipped its berth in the Northumbrian Quay and collided with an oil platform during a storm which boasted winds of up to 60 miles per hour.

The high winds are most likely what caused the ferry’s ropes to snap and released the boat from its moorings. Adrift, the ferry floated towards the south side of Tyne.

Although the captain dropped anchor, the ferry never the less continued to float almost a thousand feet further, directly into the path of a decommissioned oil rig. The Port of Tyne Authority immediately dispatched three tug boats to try and hold back the ship, but they, too, were unable to prevent the collision from occurring.

There were no passengers on board the ferry at the time of the accident.

The incident has caused DFDS Seaways, who owns the King of Scandinavia, to cancel sailings between New Castle and Holland while repairs on the ferry occur. Sailings are scheduled to resume again on Friday.

Geoff Ford witnessed the event. "When I saw the King of Scandinavia it was already right across the river and tug boats were struggling to control it," he said.

He added: "There was a significant gouge out of the side of the ship."

"The ferry, which did not damage the decommissioned oil rig, was towed back to a river berth," the witness said.

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