nightmare ferry journies

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Crikey, that looks a bit dodgy!

I remember back in the late '80s when I went to France as a kid with my parents. Mother was having panic about the ferry and something to do with the doors where all the cars etc came in.

A week later it sank. Apparantly the doors opened and let in water. :eek:

She refused to go on ferrys for ages afterwards.

Will
 
It happens when you don't shut them, it was common practice.. Herald of Free Enterprise..

That sounds familiar.

My memory is a little sketchy (I was pretty young), but something you remember nonetheless.

Will
 
looks like the cab held it - maybe the tank was empty?

The trailer must be resting on something that stopped it going all the way in?

Makes you wonder how a strapped down lorry with air brakes managed to escape though...
 
Turners :D My Uncle is a manager at the depot in Fordham, I used to live in Soham too.
 
This is an inside photo, it becomes a bit clearer why the lorry did not drop off, the link ,must be pretty strong though
 

Attachments

  • _45423499_lorryferry.jpg
    _45423499_lorryferry.jpg
    54.9 KB · Views: 58
A week later it sank. Apparantly the doors opened and let in water. :eek:

It didn't take much water to destabilise these ferries if it sloshed in over the open bow on to the car deck. Once it started to destabilise it would take in more water and go over on its side very quickly.

It's not as if these problems were unknown at the time. And I can recall the navy modified civilian ferries taken down to the Falklands by welding their doors shut because of the risks of taking in water during rough seas..
 
Crikey, that looks a bit dodgy!

I remember back in the late '80s when I went to France as a kid with my parents. Mother was having panic about the ferry and something to do with the doors where all the cars etc came in.

A week later it sank. Apparantly the doors opened and let in water. :eek:

She refused to go on ferrys for ages afterwards.

Will

A worse accident than that was that of M/S Estonia on 28th December 1994 that sank on ts journey between Tallinn and Stockholm. The front bow broke off and it sank within 5 mins! :eek: It claimed 852 lives and was one of the deadliest maritime distasters of the late 20th century.

Today its a maritime grave and watched for divers (she only lays 74-85m deep).
 
The Estonia was caught in a storm though. The HOFE just left its bow doors open by mistake and turned turtle.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom