This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-65441218
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Call for thorough investigation after ferry grounding | Call for thorough investigation after ferry grounding |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| All 60 passengers were taken ashore by lifeboats | All 60 passengers were taken ashore by lifeboats |
| A maritime union has called for a thorough investigation into how a car ferry grounded in Orkney. | A maritime union has called for a thorough investigation into how a car ferry grounded in Orkney. |
| The MV Pentalina had 60 people on board when it grounded at St Margaret's Hope on Saturday night. | The MV Pentalina had 60 people on board when it grounded at St Margaret's Hope on Saturday night. |
| The RMT union said it needed to be established how the incident on the Pentland Ferries vessel happened. | |
| Smoke was detected in the engine room of the MV Pentalina, before it grounded. | Smoke was detected in the engine room of the MV Pentalina, before it grounded. |
| Orkney ferry runs aground with 60 people on board | Orkney ferry runs aground with 60 people on board |
| Chartered CalMac catamaran to begin sea trials | Chartered CalMac catamaran to begin sea trials |
| Why a CalMac catamaran is such a big deal | Why a CalMac catamaran is such a big deal |
| Emergency services, including lifeboats were called to the scene at about 19:30 after the ferry issued a mayday message. It has since been refloated and berthed at St Margaret's Hope. | |
| The coastguard said it would now be surveyed to establish the extent of any damage. | The coastguard said it would now be surveyed to establish the extent of any damage. |
| Gary Brown and his pregnant partner Lauren Haston were on board the Pentalina at the time of the accident. | |
| The pair were out on the deck when they noticed smoke coming from the engine room followed by "flustered" members of the crew. | |
| Lauren Haston and partner Gary Brown were on board the vessel and noticed smoke coming from the engine room | |
| Mr Brown said it was some time before any information was given to those on board. One crew member then started "abruptly" telling passengers to "find something to hold onto". | |
| He said he was "panicking inside", but tried to remain calm for his partner. He said "overall people were calm", but a "lack of communication" was worrying. | |
| Within about an hour, the passengers were escorted off the ferry onto lifeboats and have now been told they can collect their cars and belongings from the vessel. | |
| Pentland Ferries sails across the Pentland Firth from Gills Bay in Caithness to St Margaret's Hope on the Orkney Islands. | Pentland Ferries sails across the Pentland Firth from Gills Bay in Caithness to St Margaret's Hope on the Orkney Islands. |
| It was granted a temporary passenger ship safety certificate for the MV Pentalina by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency last week. | It was granted a temporary passenger ship safety certificate for the MV Pentalina by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency last week. |
| The Pentalina came back into service on Wednesday after time in dry dock to allow another ferry, the MV Alfred, to service other routes to islands on the west coast. | The Pentalina came back into service on Wednesday after time in dry dock to allow another ferry, the MV Alfred, to service other routes to islands on the west coast. |
| It suffered technical problems on Friday then on Saturday night the ferry grounded on the shoreline, about 100 yards (91m) from its destination in Orkney. | It suffered technical problems on Friday then on Saturday night the ferry grounded on the shoreline, about 100 yards (91m) from its destination in Orkney. |
| The 56 adults, three children, and a baby, as well as several dogs, were taken ashore by RNLI lifeboats. | The 56 adults, three children, and a baby, as well as several dogs, were taken ashore by RNLI lifeboats. |
| There are no reports of injuries and passengers described the rescue operation as calm and professional. | There are no reports of injuries and passengers described the rescue operation as calm and professional. |
| A number of lifeboat crew were called out to the grounded ferry | A number of lifeboat crew were called out to the grounded ferry |
| A spokesman for the RMT said: "A thorough investigation will be needed to establish how this major incident aboard the Pentland Ferries vessel occurred." | A spokesman for the RMT said: "A thorough investigation will be needed to establish how this major incident aboard the Pentland Ferries vessel occurred." |
| Gordon Martin, Scottish Organiser for the RMT told BBC Scotland the union had "raised a number of safety concerns" over the years about the Pentalina. | |
| He said: "A major disaster has been averted we could've had a real, real situation on our hands. | |
| "We're going from a crisis to a farce in the ferry sector in Scotland at the moment," he added. | |
| Last week, Pentland Ferries main vessel, the newer and larger catamaran MV Alfred, began a nine-month charter with CalMac on the west coast, which is costing the Scottish government £9m. | Last week, Pentland Ferries main vessel, the newer and larger catamaran MV Alfred, began a nine-month charter with CalMac on the west coast, which is costing the Scottish government £9m. |
| It is not clear when the MV Pentalina will return to service. | It is not clear when the MV Pentalina will return to service. |
| The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the MV Pentalina was refloated at about 05:30 after being towed by a tug and taken to its berth in St Margaret's Hope. | The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the MV Pentalina was refloated at about 05:30 after being towed by a tug and taken to its berth in St Margaret's Hope. |
| A spokeswoman said there were no signs of pollution and added that the ferry would be surveyed to establish the extent of any damage. | A spokeswoman said there were no signs of pollution and added that the ferry would be surveyed to establish the extent of any damage. |
| She added that the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) had been informed. | She added that the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) had been informed. |
| Coastguard teams from St Margaret's Hope, Stromness and Kirkwall and the Stromness and Longhope RNLI lifeboats were involved in the rescue. | Coastguard teams from St Margaret's Hope, Stromness and Kirkwall and the Stromness and Longhope RNLI lifeboats were involved in the rescue. |
| Transport Scotland said Pentland Ferries would assess the condition of the vessel and any next steps to determine whether there would be any loss of services on the Pentland Firth. | Transport Scotland said Pentland Ferries would assess the condition of the vessel and any next steps to determine whether there would be any loss of services on the Pentland Firth. |
| It said that any further action to support capacity to Orkney would be considered in due course. | It said that any further action to support capacity to Orkney would be considered in due course. |
| A spokesperson said: "Ministers were quickly made aware of the incident involving the MV Pentalina and kept informed of developments throughout the night. | A spokesperson said: "Ministers were quickly made aware of the incident involving the MV Pentalina and kept informed of developments throughout the night. |
| "We were relieved that all passengers and crew are safe and that arrangements were made to support passengers with onward travel. "We would also like to express our appreciation to all those involved in the evacuation, including RNLI crews and other emergency services." | "We were relieved that all passengers and crew are safe and that arrangements were made to support passengers with onward travel. "We would also like to express our appreciation to all those involved in the evacuation, including RNLI crews and other emergency services." |
| Hayley Green, vice chairperson of Orkney's Local Emergency Co-ordination Group (OLECG) said: "The situation, including the impact on ferry provision across the Pentland Firth, will be reviewed over the coming days." | Hayley Green, vice chairperson of Orkney's Local Emergency Co-ordination Group (OLECG) said: "The situation, including the impact on ferry provision across the Pentland Firth, will be reviewed over the coming days." |
| She praised the efforts of all agencies involved, including the local community and volunteer lifeboat crews. | She praised the efforts of all agencies involved, including the local community and volunteer lifeboat crews. |
| 'Pitiful lack of resilience' | 'Pitiful lack of resilience' |
| Scottish Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston, who is from Orkney, said the incident exposed the "pitiful lack of resilience in Scotland's ferry network". | Scottish Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston, who is from Orkney, said the incident exposed the "pitiful lack of resilience in Scotland's ferry network". |
| He said: "The Pentalina was only summoned back into action this week because the MV Alfred had to be seconded from Pentland Ferries to help plug gaps in the ageing, unreliable CalMac fleet. | He said: "The Pentalina was only summoned back into action this week because the MV Alfred had to be seconded from Pentland Ferries to help plug gaps in the ageing, unreliable CalMac fleet. |
| "While it will be important to know just how this incident came about, my immediate concern is for what this means for Orkney and how long this vital link for our islands will be severed." | "While it will be important to know just how this incident came about, my immediate concern is for what this means for Orkney and how long this vital link for our islands will be severed." |
| He added: "There are a number of questions the Scottish government needs to answer, including whether the £9m agreement between CalMac and Pentland Ferries allows for the MV Alfred to be recalled to Orkney early, or if the Alfred will stay on the west coast and Orkney will be left without a key service." | He added: "There are a number of questions the Scottish government needs to answer, including whether the £9m agreement between CalMac and Pentland Ferries allows for the MV Alfred to be recalled to Orkney early, or if the Alfred will stay on the west coast and Orkney will be left without a key service." |
| Orkney MSP Liam McArthur said there were also important questions for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to answer as it had recently inspected and certified the Pentalina as fit for service. | Orkney MSP Liam McArthur said there were also important questions for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to answer as it had recently inspected and certified the Pentalina as fit for service. |
| He added: "Answers are required too from the Scottish government whose failure to procure new ferries in a timely fashion has left services both in the north and on the west coast extremely vulnerable. As a result islanders and island communities are left paying the price." | He added: "Answers are required too from the Scottish government whose failure to procure new ferries in a timely fashion has left services both in the north and on the west coast extremely vulnerable. As a result islanders and island communities are left paying the price." |
| The MV Alfred ran aground in the Pentland Firth in Swona in July last year, with 97 people on board who were transferred to lifeboats. | The MV Alfred ran aground in the Pentland Firth in Swona in July last year, with 97 people on board who were transferred to lifeboats. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Orkney | Orkney |
| Ferries | Ferries |