Herald of free enterprise disaster

Kapitan · 02-02-06, 08:27 AM

In 1987 one of britains worst maritime accidents took place in zeebrugge belgium, a roll on roll off ferry capsized killing 190 odd people returning home to familys.

After leaving port 5 minuets late the captain is put under pressure to make a quick crossing, he orders the maximum harbour speed of 18knots, water cascades over the already low bow as earlier the forward ballast tank was flooded to allow the car ramp to reach the upper deck.

A calculation of 2,000 tonnes of water cascades over the bow and flow into the open car deck, this shouldnt be a problem, the deck on most ferrys of this time have water tight bulk heads, but not the herald she has one clear open deck.

As the ship rolls side to side the water flows to the lowest point and back and then acts like a pendulem, finaly after violently rolling the water starts to take cars and trucks with it, after reaching 30* list the herald rolls over and comes to rest on a sand bank some 30meters underneath.

A disturbing radio call was made before the ship capsized, the captain of a dredger reported to zeebrugge VTS (vessel traffic services) that he saw lights and what look like cars and lorrys, but it was to late the herald rolled over and sank.

7 weeks after the disaster the herald was salvaged re named and sent on a one way trip to alang india for scrapping, her two sisters remained in service, one being rebuilt to house more cargo and the other remains un changed.

Building year 1980
Building yard Schichau Unterweser AG, Germany (#2280)
Owner Compania Naviera S.A.
Length 131,91 m
Breadth 23,19 m
Draft 5,72 m
GT 13.601 tonnes
Speed 22 kn.
Number of passengers 1.300
Number of beds 48
Number of cars 350
Fate: capsized in 1987 salvaged and broken up in 1988

was anyone around when they heard this news?

02-02-06, 08:27 AM	#1
Kapitan Sub Test Pilot Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK + Canada Posts: 7,130 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 7	Herald of free enterprise disaster In 1987 one of britains worst maritime accidents took place in zeebrugge belgium, a roll on roll off ferry capsized killing 190 odd people returning home to familys. After leaving port 5 minuets late the captain is put under pressure to make a quick crossing, he orders the maximum harbour speed of 18knots, water cascades over the already low bow as earlier the forward ballast tank was flooded to allow the car ramp to reach the upper deck. A calculation of 2,000 tonnes of water cascades over the bow and flow into the open car deck, this shouldnt be a problem, the deck on most ferrys of this time have water tight bulk heads, but not the herald she has one clear open deck. As the ship rolls side to side the water flows to the lowest point and back and then acts like a pendulem, finaly after violently rolling the water starts to take cars and trucks with it, after reaching 30* list the herald rolls over and comes to rest on a sand bank some 30meters underneath. A disturbing radio call was made before the ship capsized, the captain of a dredger reported to zeebrugge VTS (vessel traffic services) that he saw lights and what look like cars and lorrys, but it was to late the herald rolled over and sank. 7 weeks after the disaster the herald was salvaged re named and sent on a one way trip to alang india for scrapping, her two sisters remained in service, one being rebuilt to house more cargo and the other remains un changed. Building year 1980 Building yard Schichau Unterweser AG, Germany (#2280) Owner Compania Naviera S.A. Length 131,91 m Breadth 23,19 m Draft 5,72 m GT 13.601 tonnes Speed 22 kn. Number of passengers 1.300 Number of beds 48 Number of cars 350 Fate: capsized in 1987 salvaged and broken up in 1988 was anyone around when they heard this news? __________________ DONT FORGET if you like a post to nominate it by using the blue diamond Find out about Museum Ships here: https://www.museumships.us/ Flickr for all my pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/131313936@N03/ Navy general board articles: https://www.navygeneralboard.com/author/aegis/