Princess Victoria (sinking)
The sinking of the Princess Victoria on 31 January 1953 in the North Channel was the worst maritime disaster in United Kingdom waters since World War II.
The Princess Victoria was one of the earliest roll-on roll-off (RORO) ferries, built in 1947. She was employed by British Railways on the crossing from Stranraer in Scotland to Larne in Northern Ireland.
The sinking of Princess Victoria occurred during a severe European windstorm which also caused the North Sea Flood of 1953, claiming 531 fatalities in the UK alone, although this was the worst single incident in that storm.
Due to an appalling catalogue of errors she sank after her car deck was flooded. There were 132 deaths, including the Deputy Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Controversially, there were no women or children among the 40 survivors. This disaster shocked many people because, although it took place in extreme weather conditions, it involved a routine journey, on a relatively short crossing in what were believed to be safe waters.
The ship's radio officer, David Broadfoot, was posthumously awarded the George Cross. The George Medal was awarded to the ship's captain, James Ferguson (posthumously), and a number of people involved in the rescue operation.
In 2003, on the 50th anniversary, a plaque commemorating the sinking was unveiled in Stranraer. A piper played the tune Lament of the MV Princess Victoria.
There have been further similar sinkings involving roll-on roll-off ferries e.g. the M/S Herald of Free Enterprise and the M/S Estonia.
See also
Further reading
- Stephen Cameron - Death in the North Channel: The loss of the Princess Victoria, January 1953 ISBN: 1904242014