The MV Princess Victoria sank on 31 January 1953 in the North Channel with the loss of 133 lives. This was the worst maritime disaster in United Kingdom waters since World War II. The Princess Victoria was one of the earliest roll-on roll-off (RORO) ferries, built in 1947. She was employed by British Railways on the crossing from Stranraer in Scotland to Larne in Northern Ireland. The sinking of Princess Victoria occurred during a severe European windstorm which also caused the North Sea Flood of 1953, claiming 531 fatalities in the UK alone, although this was the worst single incident in that storm. The extreme weather conditions damaged the low stern doors, allowing water to enter the car deck. At 09:46, two hours after leaving Stranraer a message was transmitted: "Hove-to off mouth of Loch Ryan. Vessel not under command. Urgent assistance of tugs required". With a list to starboard exacerbated by shifting cargo, water continued to enter the ship. At 10:32 an SOS transmission was made, and the order to abandon was given at 14:00.[1]
There were 133 deaths,[2] including the Deputy Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Maynard Sinclair and the MP for North Down, Sir Walter Smiles. Controversially, there were no women or children among the 40 survivors. This disaster shocked many people because, although it took place in extreme weather conditions, it involved a routine journey, on a relatively short crossing in what were believed to be safe waters. The ship's radio officer, David Broadfoot, was posthumously awarded the George Cross. His medal is on permanent display in Stranraer Museum. The George Medal was awarded to the ship's captain, James Ferguson (posthumously), and a number of people involved in the rescue operation. In Larne, a small town that largely relied on its seaport, most families were affected in some way. A ceremony was held at the port; wreaths were thrown on the water and the crowd sang "Lord, hear us when we cry to thee, for those in peril on the sea". The Court of Inquiry into the sinking found that the Princess Victoria was lost due to a combination of factors. Firstly, the stern doors were not sufficiently robust. Secondly, arrangements for clearing water from the car deck were inadequate. The report concluded "If the Princess Victoria had been as staunch as those who manned her, then all would have been well and the disaster averted."[3] In 2003, on the 50th anniversary, a new plaque with the names of those lost was unveiled at the Victoria Memorial in Agnew Park, Stranraer. A piper played the tune Lament of the MV Princess Victoria. Two new plaques were also unveiled at the Victoria Memorial in Larne. RNLB Sir Samuel Kelly, from Donaghadee, one of the two lifeboats involved in the Princess Victoria rescue, is in the collection the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. There have been further similar sinkings involving roll-on roll-off ferries e.g. the M/S Herald of Free Enterprise and the M/S Estonia.
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References
- ^ Miles Cowsill - Stranraer-Larne; The Car Ferry era Ferry Publications, ISBN 1-871947-40-5 pp9-11.
- ^ Fatalities as recorded on the memorial in Larne: http://www.irishseashipping.co.uk/irishseamemorials/Memorials/NIreland/PVictoria/PVictoria.htm
- ^ Nick Robins - The Evolution of the British Ferry Ferry Publications, ISBN 1-871947-31-6 pp24-26.
See also
Further reading
- Stephen Cameron - Death in the North Channel: The loss of the Princess Victoria, January 1953 ISBN 1-904242-01-4
- Jack Hunter - The Loss of the Princess Victoria ISBN 0 9535776-1-9
