issues99 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I've read only 5 pages and I can't read any further. Time for my two penny worth.I was looking through the bridge when we entered the fog, the master, Mr O'Toole was diligent to the extreme. He checked and double checked the bouys and charts because the visibility was not much more than 50 yds. The first sight was the tug veering in front of us, then it became pretty obvious something big was behind it, and blue. the first contact was to the stern on the starboard side, quite heavy and a lot of shuddering. All lights failed and people started to run about and their was some panic, it was then that a woman fell and hurt her wrist and another lady got a clout to the face somehow. The staff reacted reasonably calmly, understandably anxious and visibly frightened. Passengers were refusing to sit and behave themselves, I myself was sat upon by a woman in the panic and couldnot get a life belt on even if I were trying. The boat swung quite violently into the larger ship after a matter of seconds, the panic really kicked off then among the passengers. The staff behaved well in the circumstances and followed their drill. Some folk were having trouble getting lifebelts on with a number of adults trying to put on child belts. I didn't hear anyone near me complain the belts were tied in knots and there were plenty to go round, the main problem was that whilst sitting in the seats there is not enough room to manoeuvere the belts on and you can't stand between the seat because they are so close together. After calm was restored staff prepared the liferafts and these were ready to deploy in a matter of seconds. Once clear of the larger vessel the tugs were there straight away, very quickly getting a line to fore and aft. Another pushed us to the dock where everybody got off safely thanks to the staff controlling the situation well. I witnessed and heard no shouting at passengers and no pushing or shoving from staff. It is true that no names were taken but i did see a clipboard and pencil working hard, I assume a count was being kept. Once in the departure lounge we were given refreshments and staff were checking for injuries. The luggage was taken off the boat after a couple of hours, once the boat was stabilised and secured. We car drivers were spoken to and the general manager got hire cars for all those needing them. I know he melted at least 4 credit cards in the exercise, no questions asked. Where people needed specialist vehicles, ie; 4x4s they got them. after about 3 o'clock there were no cars left and some folk, myself among them, were taken to hotels. I got a room in the Adelphi with dinner and breakfast provided. Some people were taken to the airport for flights, which were cancelled due to the fog. The next day I was found a hire car and they managed to get my bags off the boat as well. I was kept informed of developments for the next 2 days with the news my car was off and waiting at Liverpool for me to collect on my way back up today. I travelled back on the Ben this afternoon on a lovely smooth sea with incredible visibility, which was good as I had a panic attack an hour out of Liverpool and had to go on deck, what a relief to be able to see the island and check nothing was in our way. As to who is to blame, that will come out in the wash. I am a very lucky man alongside the rest of the passengers. If we had been a bit further out if could have been a very different ending, had we been hit 30 ft more to the pointy bit, ditto. I can't fault the staff for their actions and the company for their response. As for the dickhead that was more worried about getting to a poxy football match than helping or supporting his fellow survivors of a horrific accident, I know what we could have plugged the hole with. I did keep my head and even took some pictures, but during the night I did wake up sweating a bit but that could have been the bottle of wine I bought before settling down. I really needed a drink. Whether I can go on the cat again is another matter, I know some will say that the odds against it happening again are vast, not so! If the circumstances are right lightening often does strike in the same place many times. From what I saw and spoke to people involved, the boat has been handed over to a salvage company and is unlikely to see service on this route again, if ever. I take my hat off to you skrappey, if i had been on that boat i dont know what i would of done. one thing i do know is a would of never been able to get off the island ever again coz i am already scared of flying after a 'dodgy' landing at ronaldsway last year. My mother in law who was on the seacat was still trumatised on sunday night !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Flynn Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 A first class account of a terrifying experience with sincere compliments to all involved. Well done Skrappey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Peters Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Ditto Skrappey - superb first hand report and very informative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Thanks Skrappey, ditto above. It puts paid to the posts on here that have been baying for blood, not sure why, not sure from whom, but blood they must have. Hope John Houghton reads it. This was a true emergency situation and the cause and responsibility will come out in the wash, but the main thing is from your account, no one was seriously injured, the staff acted professionally (bearing in mind that they too were as vulnerable) and the Steammie looked after the passengers' onward arrangements as best they could. I can't see that any of that is anything to be ashamed of or hint that there is some scandal brewing. From previous experience in shipping matters, in all circumstances the priorities, in order, are the safety of the passengers, crew and ship, the TT schedule comes someway down the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
púca Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Excellent post. I hope, in time, you'll feel comfortable about boarding a boat again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 All fine, one had a minor shunt, bloody lucky. So they hadn't all slid or rolled into a mangled heap at the stern of the vessel as some people seemed to expect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Badger Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 I'm glad there is finally a first hand account of the event to quiet down the people who obviously have little or no experience of a situation like this. Nice one skrappey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stavros Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Agreed, nice on Skrappey. I was in a rowing boat that sunk, that was quite traumatic until I stood up and realised that the water was only waist height! Stav. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfc84 Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100new...-name_page.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian rush Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100new...-name_page.html Irwin Mitchell are never far away from a group claim. From recollection, they've done quite a lot of pneumoconiosis (sp) claims from miners, asbestosis from the building industry, time share fraud (John Palmer), The Marchionness etc. Being cynical, this incident is absolutely ripe for compo, although the indetity of the wrong-doer won't be until the MAIB investigation is complete. That said, it might even turn out to be an unavoidable accident in bad conditions without someone being liable, although I very much doubt it in this day and age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amadeus Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100new...-name_page.html Oh you have to be f***ing kidding me! "Ferry passengers may sue after collision in Mersey" ??? Have we really reached the stage where the first thing you do after escaping a serious situation like this, is calling your lawyer? Thanks for the first-hand report, skrappey! Thinking back to when I worked on it, a few bits caught my eye: All lights failed and people started to run about and their was some panic, it was then that a woman fell and hurt her wrist and another lady got a clout to the face somehow. The staff reacted reasonably calmly, understandably anxious and visibly frightened. Passengers were refusing to sit and behave themselves, I myself was sat upon by a woman in the panic and couldnot get a life belt on even if I were trying. In all the drills we always did (one every week) nothing would have really prepared us for that - in fact, during all drills, the underlying assumption while going through the routine was, that all passengers would be sitting down... Some folk were having trouble getting lifebelts on with a number of adults trying to put on child belts. I didn't hear anyone near me complain the belts were tied in knots and there were plenty to go round, the main problem was that whilst sitting in the seats there is not enough room to manoeuvere the belts on and you can't stand between the seat because they are so close together. Another point I think no-one ever really thought about - with this sort of airline-seating configuration, there's not much space to get the life jackets on. After calm was restored staff prepared the liferafts and these were ready to deploy in a matter of seconds. The strong point of the 'Cat' in safety terms - the two forward Marine Evacuation Systems (MES). Ready in seconds (open doors, locate the two pumps - on order "deploy, deploy, deploy", operate pump 1 to release door, operate pump 2 to release MES - video of it here) and creates a fully deployed chute with attached liferaft in under a minute. Witnessed and used it on the Lady once - pretty impressive piece of kit, and probably the quickest way ever to evacuate a vessel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonan3 Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100new...-name_page.html Oh you have to be f***ing kidding me! "Ferry passengers may sue after collision in Mersey" ??? Have we really reached the stage where the first thing you do after escaping a serious situation like this, is calling your lawyer? Unfortunately, the answer appears to be 'yes.' It's another bit of culture we seem to have imported from the 'Land of the Free.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian rush Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 The lifejackets were the main problem I saw, particularly an arthritic old lady who couldn't get her arms through either an adult or a kids 'jacket in the proper way. That said she might have been able to put a jacket on over her head but without her arms *over* the strings between front and back (as opposed to arms over just the tie off strings), as many people had done. A few staff and passengers clocked this and put people right on it. If they'd ended up in the water with their arms under the strings between front and back their chances of the 'jackets coming off over their heads were significantly increased. I've heard positive stuff about the onshore dealings on behalf of those with cars etc. The only gripe I had about my return journey as a foot passenger (scheduled for Sunday 1900) was that the replacement bus to link up with the 0215 from Heysham left Liverpool at 1815. I think many people would perhaps have preferred a later arrival at Heysham Port, which isn't exactly full of things to do / places to eat / entertain kids with. As it was, I paid for the last train from my mate's in s. Manchester up to Lancaster and got a taxi through just before midnight rather than hang round at the Port for four or five hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girl89 Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100new...-name_page.html 'I was thrown back in my seat' She should be glad that she wasn't thrown across the floor or fell outside! 'the first thing I thought was we were going to sink' It barely sank! And if it did seriously start sinking, there were lifeboat/rafts! Argh some people, overdramatise things But then again, I wasn't on there. Bit stupid trying to sue because of it though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempus Fugit Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 “The other ship hit us" I suppose the 'other ship' says that too it's just the trajectory that determines who is at fault it takes two to tango ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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