Nine-hour ordeal on damaged Tiree ferry

PASSENGERS got stuck on a CalMac ferry for nine hours after it was damaged trying to dock at Tiree’s harbour at Scarinish and it had to return to Oban.

The regular ferry MV Clansman was away for its annual overhaul and the route was being covered by the MV Hebridean Isles – but only briefly.

On Saturday February 24, the MV Hebridean Isles’ first day, there were high winds gusting up to 40mph from the south east and a heavy swell.

‘It looked as if it might be tough and rough on board,’ Reverend Millar, who witnessed the incident at the harbour and later wrote in his blog, Life on Tiree: ‘The vessel was rising and falling.

‘The vessel has to turn to berth stern first. She lay for a moment or two alongside, but well off from the pier. With her thrusters pushing, the stern was brought in against the wind. The stern ropes were thrown and caught. It appeared the vessel would berth successfully.

‘Then, all of a sudden, the stern was pushed by wind and wave. This put the stern ropes under immense strain but they did not break.

‘There was a bang! Something did break! Where the stern ropes pass through was torn away.’

Rev Millar photographed the substantial damage to the boat’s stern.

‘Although the damage was well above the waterline, the vessel could not berth.

‘The bow ropes were released and the MV Hebridean Isles proceeded to sea.’

Passengers endured nine hours on the ferry, he said, and ‘got absolutely nowhere’.

A CalMac spokesman said: ‘The MV Hebridean Isles was involved in an incident as she attempted to berth at Tiree on Saturday under an extremely heavy swell.

‘She suffered slight damage to mooring equipment and, given the sea conditions, the master decided a return to Oban was the best option in the circumstances. The vessel is now under repair in dry dock.’

Sunday’s ferry service was cancelled. The MV Hebridean Isles’ was replaced by the MV Lord of the Isles, which docked successfully into Scarinish on Monday February 26, despite the south easterly winds, and three days of traffic finally rolled off.