By Chris King • Published: 26 Mar 2022 • 0:31
P&O ferry detained in Northern Ireland after being deemed 'unfit to sail'. image: flickr - Darren Hillman
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in the Northern Ireland port of Larne have detained a P&O ferry after it was deemed ‘unfit to sail’. This incident comes just eight days after the company sacked 800 workers without any notice.
A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said, “We can confirm that the European Causeway has been detained in Larne. It has been detained due to failures in crew familiarisation, vessel documentation and crew training”.
Adding, “The vessel will remain under detention until all these issues are resolved by P&O Ferries. Only then will it be reinspected”.
A tweet from Grant Schapps, the Transport Secretary read, “Following my instruction to inspect all P&O vessels prior to entering back into service, the @MCA-Media has detained a ship for being unfit to sail”.
“I will not compromise the safety of these vessels, and P&O will not be able to rush inexperienced crew through training”, he added.
According to information on the P&O Ferries website, The European Causeway entered service when it replaced the Pride of Rathlin in 2000. “Specifically designed for our Cairnryan to Larne route, she has not operated elsewhere and has only been taken out of service if she needs a refit”, it says.
Mr Shapps had called for Peter Hebblethwaite the chief executive of P&O Ferries to quit over the scandal. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has since backed this call, as reported by mirror.co.uk.
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Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com
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