The Steam Packet’s flagship Manxman has been involved in an “incident” overnight and is currently berthed at Heysham.
The company is remaining tight lipped over the nature of the incident, however a spokesperson for the company confirmed the ship has suffered some damage but “there are no injuries to any passengers or crew.
Unconfirmed reports from passengers, along with some ship tracking data show the incident was during docking on the regular berth at Heysham. At around 11.45pm and the ship appeared to go ‘bow first’ in to the linkspan, one passenger saying it was possibly due to wind.
It is also not known if the ship has suffered any damage. (Updated 5.45am as above – the company confirmed damage)
The relevant authorities have been informed
The company also told media that: “The relevant authorities have been notified”, however they have not specified which authorities they are referring to.
A Press spokesperson for the UK’s Coastguard & Maritime Agency told Manx.News that they were not an agency involved, according to their logs.
Manxman was berthed at an alternative linkspan at Heysham and the spokesperson confirmed that Ben My Chree would be taking passengers and freight on the Heysham-Douglas sailing shortly (4am 21/8).
The Ben My Chree was already in service operating freight sailings during the busy Manx Grand Prix period and was berthed at the Lancashire port.
Company officials will not release any further details about the incident and one passenger due to travel on the Heysham-Douglas sailing told Manx.News that they have not yet departed yet (4.30am) and “nobody will tell us what is going on”.
We expect more information to come from the company in due course.
If you were on Manxman’s sailing overnight, please contact: newsdesk@manx.news
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