Herald of Free Enterprise remembered

TheMightyTen · 6 Mar 2017 at 09:37

30 years ago today 193 people lost their lives due to a catalogue of bad practice and negligence in an idustry that had become complacent and safety ignorant.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39116394

Really doesn't seem like 30 years as I remember it so vividly. We used to use the cross channel ferries a lot back then and events that led to her sinking were not that rare as we well knew from experience.

RIP the 193 and thoughts to the families of those that are still left.

Hades · 6 Mar 2017 at 11:44

Wow 30 years. RIP

robfosters · 6 Mar 2017 at 11:52

90 seconds to capsize. I can't think of anything more terrifying to happen. Except if it's at night, like the Estonian ship.

Deleted member 651465 · 6 Mar 2017 at 12:00

Easily avoidable. Such a tragic loss.

"There was a woman near me, and she was holding a little girl above the water.

"Helicopters were overhead, but they couldn't see us. So I flung myself back into the sea and there was a fishing boat. The woman kept screaming 'don't leave me to die' and I shouted back I would tell rescuers where she was.

"I don't know what happened to the woman or the little girl. I tried to find out and I put out an appeal. I'm fairly sure they both died."

TheMightyTen · 6 Mar 2017 at 12:00

robfosters said:
90 seconds to capsize. I can't think of anything more terrifying to happen. Except if it's at night, like the Estonian ship.

It had just turned dark as she capsized at about 18:28 (19:28 Belgian time), all efforts to rescue were performed in the dark

. There were some real heroic efforts shown that night.

scorza · 6 Mar 2017 at 12:11

RIP to the victims, seen/heard some harrowing stories this morning

BeeP · 6 Mar 2017 at 12:47

R.I.P.

It seems far more recent in my memory than 30 years ago should, I guess it was quite a major incident and quite shocking.

Will Gill · 6 Mar 2017 at 12:51

Blooming 'eck, doesn't seem very long ago at all, RIP to all the victims

nutcase · 6 Mar 2017 at 13:31

Remember it well, my Brother even more so as he was on the boat the previous day returning from a school trip

memyselfandi · 6 Mar 2017 at 13:33

We were supposed to be catching it a few weeks later for a school trip ... there was a veritable **** storm when it happened about whether it was safe for us to go away.

!bluetonic! · 6 Mar 2017 at 13:38

This was the first tragedy that really hit me when I was younger.

I couldn't help feeling so very sad for all those poor people that lost their lives and those survivors that had to deal with the situation in the best way they could.

I've watched the 'seconds to disaster' on this on YouTube and can't help but be dismayed by what happened.

RIP those brave people.

HEADRAT · 6 Mar 2017 at 13:47

Remember this vividly, if it had been in deeper water then I would imagine the loss of life would have been much worse.

RIP

jsmoke · 6 Mar 2017 at 13:52

Vaguely remember it, RIP, didn't remember that that many died though.

Rroff · 6 Mar 2017 at 13:52

memyselfandi said:
We were supposed to be catching it a few weeks later for a school trip ... there was a veritable **** storm when it happened about whether it was safe for us to go away.

There used to be a memorial garden at my secondary school - sadly can't remember details now but I believe some students from the school died coming back from a trip.

EDIT: Ah one family from the town died in the tragedy one of them being a pupil at the school and the memorial was created to all the children who died.

wnb · 6 Mar 2017 at 14:53

EVH said:
Easily avoidable. Such a tragic loss.

As simple as shutting a door. The guy who's job it was to shut the door was fast asleep in his bunk. It beggars belief.

Rroff · 6 Mar 2017 at 14:58

wnb said:
As simple as shutting a door. The guy who's job it was to shut the door was fast asleep in his bunk. It beggars belief.

Its worth looking at the investigation - its pretty damning of the corporate structure - putting staff under undue pressure/overworked and complacent to the point of negligence towards health and safety - these days a few of the upper management would have ended up in jail.

Maundie · 6 Mar 2017 at 15:37

If I remember correctly it was common practice to set sail with the doors open to close on the way saving time.

I can remember being really upset with this as we used to do the Felixstowe-Zeebrugge return twice a year to see my dad in Germany

Lopéz · 6 Mar 2017 at 15:54

I was living in Ramsgate at the time and part of my Dad's job was working on the database of those who survived and those who didn't. I had a Herald/Spirit cutaway poster on the wall. Sad times.

The Mad Rapper · 6 Mar 2017 at 15:58

Hades said:
Wow 30 years. RIP

This. Time flies. I can remember that quite vividly; some incredible stories of heroism came out after.

CREATIVE!11 · 6 Mar 2017 at 16:00

Horrid.

90 seconds is so quick too, you are screwed.... no time to deploy lifeboats like they said.

Herald of Free Enterprise remembered

Deleted member 651465

Deleted member 651465