37 Years ago

[grumpy52]

The Herald of Free Enterprise.
On the evening of 6th March 1987, the Herald of Free Enterprise sailed from Zeebrugge bound for Dover. Barely eight minutes into her crossing and just before 19:30 she capsized. One hundred and ninety-three passengers and crew perished on that bitterly cold night and this post is to remember them.
It was a tragedy that so cruelly took each and every one of those lives. It was a tragedy that was felt around the world, but most of all, it was a tragedy felt most deeply, here in Dover. Those left bereaved by the devastatingly swift turn of events of 37 years ago still feel the anguish to this day. Families, friends, fellow crew, anyone in fact connected to the industry. Many of us remember where we were, what we were doing and also the first emotions of disbelief on hearing the news.
And remembering is what this post is about. Wherever you are today, please pause, reflect and fall silent for a brief moment to remember all those who lost their lives 37 years ago.
God bless them all and may they never be forgotten.
Please feel free to share this post should you wish.

[GliderRider]

I often think of The Herald of Free Enerprise when using my phone torch. Had most of the passengers been carrying a means of illumination allowing them to find escape routes, would the death toll have been any lower? No doubt the ferry had emergency lighting, but was it sufficient?

[LimaDelta]

I worked with someone who claimed to have been a waiter on the Herald of Free Enterprise when it capsized. By chance he was outside when it rolled over, so was one of the lucky survivors. I asked if it had not put him off working at sea, but he thought the chances of something similar happening to him again were essentially zero, and seemed happy enough.

Zeebrugge rings the same as Hillsborough, Lockerbie, Challenger or Chernobyl for those of a certain age. A huge news story at the time.

[Terminator X]

Left the rear hatch open didn't they. I read it was the usual thing to do although in this instance it ended very badly of course.

TX.

[john2443]

Terminator X said:

Left the rear hatch open didn't they. I read it was the usual thing to do although in this instance it ended very badly of course.

TX.

A friend has a photo he took from the car deck of the view out of the hatch as they left the harbour - apparently is was the norm to close it on the move in order to get going asap and had always been OK until then. The rules were obviously changed (or enforced) afterwards.

[Spare tyre]

I was telling a lad I work with about the Marchioness on the Thames yesterday, he is in his 20s and has never heard of either of these incidents

Horrific

[Roofless Toothless]

How many have heard of the Princess Alice?

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blog/library-archive...

[MDMA .]

Terminator X said:

Left the rear hatch open didn't they. I read it was the usual thing to do although in this instance it ended very badly of course.

TX.

Was the front (bow) I think.

[Spare tyre]

MDMA . said:

Terminator X said:

Left the rear hatch open didn't they. I read it was the usual thing to do although in this instance it ended very badly of course.

TX.

Was the front (bow) I think.

Yup

IIRC the front doors were manually operated, no status lights etc on the bridge

Matey who’s job it was to shut them was in his cabin asleep, the other fella who should have checked thought he saw door man and he was going to shut them

They had to trim the boat by taking on water to make it lower in the water when docked as the bridge to get cars on wouldn’t work at standard height

Combined with some weird pressure of the boat being pulled down in the shallow waters, it all came together badly

Management had previously laughed at the idea of installing a “door shut light” as it was someone’s job to look at it

[cobra kid]

Some robust interlocking required. No connection, no motion.

[Promised Land]

LimaDelta said:

Zeebrugge rings the same as Hillsborough, Lockerbie, Challenger or Chernobyl for those of a certain age. A huge news story at the time.

Add Kings Cross, Kegworth and Bradford City into that.

Growing up it felt as a teenager it was one major disaster after another in the ‘80’s.

[grumpy52]

Having been born just outside Dover from a large family, I like many had friends and family that worked on the ferries.
My cousin who was actually on board as executive officer just before it was due to leave Dover on the outbound crossing was called off to go to collect a different ferry from refit.
Later I worked for a local transport company that lost several drivers in the tradegy also a couple that survived,they never spoke about it .
Everyone I know locally had friends or family that were connected to The Herald.
The passing of time leads to memories fading and sadly many that survived that night are now fewer and fewer .
Things are very different on the ferries these days both with safety technology and crew training and working practices.
I've lost count of the number of ferries that I have been on in the 37 years since then .

[motco]

One of my earliest exposures to the 'real-world' and its hazards was hearing live bulletins being broadcast on the BBC Home Service radio station as the SS Flying Enterprise cargo ship sank off Falmouth in 1952 after being wrecked in December 1951 Wikipedia

I listened spellbound as its fate unfolded and I learned that the captain was expected to remain on board as the ship sank.

[DodgyGeezer]

I saw a docu on TV a couple of years ago - both fascinating (probably the wrong word), and heartbreaking (very much the right word!). One of Mrs DG's colleagues lost her husband on the HoFE

[dundarach]

I was 14 just after it and on holiday, standing on the dock somewhere darn south, Southhampton maybe, regardless, I vividly remember hearing on shore over the tannoy, 'This is the Captain I would like to assure all passengers that the doors are closed'. Can picture standing there now with my dad!

Destroyed the Townsend Thoresen brand immediately, it was and still is burned into everyone retinas!

[kris450]

24 years ago I was 20, just come back from uni and was just starting a summer job at the local village pub. I'd only been there a few days and got chatting to one of the regulars one quiet Thursday afternoon (yes I still remember the day of the week...)

Me: So you have plans this summer ? Trips abroad or just some time away ?
Regular: No not really, I'm not a the best traveller and prefer staying in the UK now a days.
Me: Ah fair enough. Not a fan of planes or flying then ?
Regular: No never have been, can't help it, just the way it is.
Me: What about a ferry ? France or Belgian perhaps ? Or even Spain is a possibilty.
Regular: (bit of silence followed by...) No I don't really do boats.

-Sure I was young and stupid and didn't read between lines, as looking back now it was sooo obvious with his answer that there was some sort of issue with boats going on... But like a moron I plowed on.

Me: Oh come on they aren't that bad ! Never fancied yourself as a sailor ? Ruling the high seas and all that ! (And to this day I can't believe I actually said this) At least a boat can only sink ! Id rather that than a plane going down !!
Regular: Well yeah thats true. Trouble is I was on THoFE with my son so I've sort of done the sinking bit already...

There was another regular at the other end of the bar and as I turned away he give me this subtle but serious nod as if to say 'yeah, he isn't pulling your leg'.

Right.... I can't come even close to describing how bad I felt. It still gives me shivers today and I wasn't even on the thing !! Pretty much the definition of wanting a big hole to swallow you up.

Needless to say I didn't charge him for any more drinks that afternoon and paid for them out of my wages. I know theres no way I could have ever known, but jeez did I feel wretched.

[Dog Star]

Not sure if it was on here or FB - but there was a chap called (I think) Graham and he and his family had been on the Herald and he told his story. It was bonkers - they were in the restaurant, on its side, so one side full of water, in the dark. Tables and chairs fixed. They’d lost a baby but someone handed it up to them , person to person up through the table legs. They weren't even looked after properly when they made it ashore.

I had some messages from him that I can’t locate anymore - sure they were FB Messenger. Ah found them - he was called Graham Drury. I can see a Google link to an NY Times article but it’s paywalled.