P&O ferry detained for second time in two months after malfunction

By Q Radio News

A P&O ferry that was adrift six miles off the east Antrim coast yesterday afternoon, sparking a major air and sea emergency, has been ordered to remain docked at Larne port until it passes an inspection.

The European Causeway, which can carry in excess of 400 passengers, was sailing from Scotland to Northern Ireland when it lost power an hour into its journey.

It left Cairnryan at around 12pm yesterday and was due at Larne Harbour at 2pm before it experienced mechanical problems.

A P&O ferry that was adrift six miles off the east Antrim coast yesterday afternoon, sparking a major air and sea emergency, has been ordered to remain docked at Larne port until it passes an inspection.https://t.co/bVosdPgJuB

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) April 27, 2022

Lifeboats from Portpatrick, Larne and Waterfoot were dispatched along with a rescue helicopter.

The ship had only entered full service on Sunday after undergoing an inspection last month during which 31 failures were reported.

This was due to safety concerns after the company sacked nearly 800 seafarers and replaced them with cheaper agency workers.

The ship was cleared to resume serving the Larne-Cairnryan route a fortnight later following another examination.

The Maritime And Coastguard Agency has now detained the vessel for the second time in two months.

Tugs from Larne and Belfast were deployed to guide it back to port.

P&O Ferries have said a full investigation will be carried out after the incident.

According to tracking website, Marine Traffic, the automatic identification system status of the vessel had been set to “not under command”, which is reserved for use when a vessel is “unable to manoeuvre as required by these rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel”.

A spokesperson for P&O Ferries said it had been a temporary issue and that the European Causeway was travelling to Larne “under its own propulsion”.

They added that there were no reported injuries on board and that "all the relevant authorities" had been informed.

Meanwhile, P&O Ferries has resumed cross-Channel sailings for the first time since it sacked nearly 800 seafarers.

The vessel Spirit of Britain departed Dover for Calais shortly after 11pm yesterday carrying freight customers.

Passenger services are expected to resume early next week.

After yesterday, Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union general secretary Mick Lynch said:

“After the vessel ran adrift off the coast of Larne yesterday, no P&O ferry should set sail on safety grounds.

“Staffing ferries with under-trained, ill-equipped, over-worked and grossly underpaid seafarers blatantly undermines maritime safety.

“There will be more safety-related incidents on the P&O fleet under these intolerable owners and we can only hope that they do not escalate in seriousness.

“Instead of taking that gamble with worker and passenger safety, the Government must step in now and take over the running of all P&O vessels.”

Yesterday, the Trade Unions Congress called for a public and commercial boycott of the firm, claiming it deserves “pariah status” for the way it treated its employees.