Herald of Free Enterprise
Discussion
A few years back whilst on a long motorway run, I accidently bumped into a Radio 4 programme reuniting folk involved, which is still available. I recall being a good listen (sorry if my memory is wrong!)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b013fk5s
The International Safety Management Code was born from the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster, which has probably saved very many lives in shipping since.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b013fk5s
The International Safety Management Code was born from the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster, which has probably saved very many lives in shipping since.
It reminds me of European Gateway, which capsized near Felixstowe a few years earlier: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-25446... I remember seeing it from the then-new Orwell Bridge.
The Herald disaster led to an assertion in Parliament that a fellow MP had 'sailed into the argument with his bow door open'. No doubt accurate but of course he was made to apologise.
The Herald disaster led to an assertion in Parliament that a fellow MP had 'sailed into the argument with his bow door open'. No doubt accurate but of course he was made to apologise.
Edited by Simpo Two on Friday 9th March 19:04
MB140 said:
Badda said:
AshVX220 said:
psgcarey said:
31 years ago +1 day I was on that.
Must have been traumatic, couldn't have been a pleasant experience.
ClaphamGT3 said:
If I recall correctly, the assistant bosun who had not closed the bow doors died recently. That must have been a horrible guilt to live with for thirty years
I have absolutely no desire to minimise the bosun’s apparent dereliction of duty that evening, and I have no doubt that with the configuration of a vessel like that ferry, the doors should have definitely been closed tight, but there are some ferries where it’s not a must.30 plus years ago, I drove an oil tanker for Burmah-Castrol, and one of the jobs that we did on a regular basis, was to “bunker” the M.V. Lion, a smaller ferry, running between Dover and Boulogne.
In order to access the oil tank filling points, it was necessary to drive into the bowels of the ship, then attach the hoses.
Due to the tight turn around times of the ferry, I would drive on to the car deck as soon as the incoming vehicles had cleared it, then, as I proceeded to discharge the various grades of oil, the vehicles bound for France were loaded around my truck, and I would go to Boulogne with the ship.
Naturally, in order to pump the oil to the ship’s tanks, the engine of my truck would be running, and lightly revving, this produced smoke and fumes from the exhaust.
To obviate the car deck being turned into a gas chamber, the rear loading vehicle doors were left half raised until maybe halfway across the Channel.
Sometimes I’d stand by the open rear doors and look down at the water, some 4 or 5 metres below, churning around.
On arrival at Boulogne, after the vehicles had cleared the car deck, I’d drive to the bow door, to be first off on return to Dover, fortunately that door was never open when the ferry was in motion.
ClaphamGT3 said:
If I recall correctly, the assistant bosun who had not closed the bow doors died recently. That must have been a horrible guilt to live with for thirty years
Indeed.http://www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/news/shock-dea...
ClaphamGT3 said:
In amongst many acts of heroism, the Belgian Navy excelled themselves that evening.
If I recall correctly, the assistant bosun who had not closed the bow doors died recently. That must have been a horrible guilt to live with for thirty years
I would not be surprised if other ferries had sailed with their bow doors open although that would have been little consolation to himIf I recall correctly, the assistant bosun who had not closed the bow doors died recently. That must have been a horrible guilt to live with for thirty years
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