Passengers injured in ferry crash
Group hurt on crossing from Liverpool to Isle of Man
Five people have been injured after a ferry sailing from Liverpool to the Isle of Man crashed last night.
The Isle of Man Steam Packet vessel "Manannan" was arriving in Douglas at around 10pm when it collided with a pier.
An investigation into the incident is now underway and crossings between Liverpool and the Isle of Man have been affected this morning as a result.
The Steam Packet Company have released a statement from their CEO Mark Woodward via their Facebook page, which says:
‘The incident happened as Manannan approached her berth in Douglas during the evening sailing from Liverpool. After the collision, she docked in Douglas around 22.40 and all passengers and vehicles were disembarked. Unfortunately five passengers suffered what are believed to be minor injuries but ambulances were called as a precaution. These passengers were initially treated on board Manannan before being taken to hospital by ambulance for further assistance.
‘Safety is absolutely paramount to the Steam Packet Company and we have launched a detailed investigation to find out what has caused the incident. Early indications are that it may have been a systems control failure but the cause of this is unclear.
‘The Steam Packet Company would like to thank all of the emergency services that assisted during the incident.’
‘We apologise for any disruption caused to passengers. We are continuing to assess the damage caused to Manannan as well as examining all possible options to minimise disruption. At this stage, it is looking likely that over the peak Easter days we will not be able to accommodate all passengers. MV Arrow will be arriving tomorrow, allowing us to dedicate Ben-my-Chree to passengers. A further update on revised schedules and the damage to Manannan will be issued later today (Thursday).