Irish Ferries vessel towed into port following fire in the engine room

Published

2 years ago

March 4, 2023

A PASSENGER ferry, operated by the same company which operates the Pembroke Dock to Rosslare service, has been towed into Calais after a fire broke out in the engine room.

Passengers are now disembarking after the ferry safely docked, marine authorities have confirmed.

The blaze started on Friday night and was contained, according operator Irish Ferries.

It was sailing from Dover to Calais and had 94 passengers and 89 crew on board. There were no reports of any injuries.

Three lifeboats from Dover, Ramsgate and Dungeness were launched as well as a French salvage tug.

Those booked on Isle of Innisfree sailings in the near future will be transferred to alternative sailings, Irish Ferries said.

The firm has apologised to all of its passengers for the disruption to their journeys.

A statement from the firm said: “Crews train regularly to deal with incidents at sea, and the company has put its training into action and the fire has been extinguished.”

Irish Ferries later added it will launch a “full investigation into the incident in conjunction with the relevant authorities”.

HM Coastguard said: “The vessel has confirmed that the fire has been extinguished but [it had experienced] technical issues.”

There was a similar incident in Pembrokeshire on another Irish Ferries vessel in 2008.

On July 30 of that year, a fire broke out on board the Isle of Inishmore at Pembroke Dock at approximately 02.30am, in a thermal oil boiler located adjacent to the engine room of the vessel.

The function of this boiler is to preheat the fuel oil prior to its use in the ship’s main engines.

The ship was getting ready to sail for Rosslare at 02:45am, with some 227 passengers and 89 crew on board.

All passengers and crew were put on standby.

At 4:20am the fire was brought under control with nobody having been injured.

On that day, the 02:45am Pembroke to Rosslare and the 08:45am Rosslare to Pembroke crossings were both cancelled as a result.

Last week there was no Fishguard-to-Rosslare ferry link following another engine room fire on the Stena Europe.

On February 11, a fire on board the vessel broke out as it approached Fishguard, which sparked a huge multi-agency response.

The 88 passengers on board were issued with lifejackets as a precautionary measure, but all disembarked safely after the vessel docked.

Stena Line said that immediate investigations would be carried out into the cause of the fire.

A Stena Line spokesman said at the time: “The investigation is ongoing, but initial indications identified a fuel pipe failure on one of the vessel’s main engines.

“The overall assessment continues, in cooperation and collaboration with the vessel’s Classification Society and all relevant regulatory authorities.

“The vessel was scheduled to go to dry dock after Fishguard for planned maintenance works, but this has been slightly delayed due to recent events.

“However, the authorities have now approved the vessel to continue sailing and it will proceed to dry dock to complete scheduled maintenance and any repairs, before it safely returns to the route.

“We are sorry for the ongoing inconvenience this causes and will provide further details to our customers as soon as we can.”

Letterston dog show raises over £750 for local charities

Published

7 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ON SUNDAY (Dec 22), Letterston Ring Craft successfully raised £755.55 for two Pembrokeshire-based charities during a fun dog show event. The funds were equally split between South Pembrokeshire Cat Rescue and Letterston Memorial Hall.

The event featured a variety of well-attended classes, including child handling and fancy dress, drawing participation from dog enthusiasts of all levels.

This fundraiser marked the first charitable event supporting South Pembrokeshire Cat Rescue. Founded and managed by Lizzy Austwick, the rescue organisation aids unwanted, feral, and sick cats across Pembrokeshire and responds to urgent cases in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. The rescue provides neutering support for stray and feral cats, directs owners to available resources, and specialises in helping stray cats with severe injuries, raising essential funds for their care.

For assistance, Lizzy can be contacted via the rescue’s Facebook page or at 07575 131443.

Letterston Ring Craft welcomes new members interested in training and showing their dogs, from local companion shows to prestigious events like Crufts. The club meets every other Sunday in Letterston, and further details can be found on their Facebook page.

Looking ahead, the next fun dog show is scheduled for early next year and will support Belle’s Story Charity. For more information or to get involved, contact Gentle Lowe at 07956 653401.

Charity

£3,800 donated to services across Withybush Hospital

Published

9 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE CAMROSE VINTAGE WORKING DAY team has donated £3,800 to services across Withybush Hospital.

Their 37^th annual event raised a record breaking £25,000, which has now been distributed among 26 local charities.

They donated the funds to the Stroke Ward, Specialist Respiratory Team, Chemo Day Unit and Heads Up! Hair Loss Initiative at Withybush Hospital. Each service received £950.

The Heads Up! initiative provides a person-centred, holistic hair loss service for cancer patients. It brings together healthcare and haircare professionals from local communities to give patients the knowledge and products needed to manage their hair loss with dignity and choice.

Katie Hancock, Fundraising Officer, said: “Thank you to Andrew, the team and the supporters of the Camrose Vintage Working Day for your generosity once again. Your donation to each service is amazing and will make a big difference. We are hugely grateful for your wonderful support.

“The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”

Pictured above: Andrew James, Chairman of Camrose Vintage Working Day with Withybush Hospital staff from the Stroke Ward, Specialist Respiratory Team, Chemo Day Unit, Heads Up! Hair Loss initiative.

Community

Neyland Community Christmas Lunch a festive success

Published

9 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Tom Sinclair

NEYLAND TOWN COUNCIL rolled up their sleeves to support this year’s Community Christmas Lunch, spreading festive cheer and warm hospitality to attendees on Christmas Day at the Alumchine.

Councillors Steve Campodonic, David Devauden, Steve Thomas, and Brian Rothero began their efforts as early as 7:30am, working tirelessly to ensure the event ran smoothly.

The dedicated organisers, including Trish Campodonic, Pam, and Lloyd Hamilton, along with other volunteers, created a welcoming space filled with festive spirit and a delicious meal with all the trimmings.

The event brought together members of the community who might otherwise have spent the day alone, highlighting the warmth and generosity that Neyland is known for.

A heartfelt ‘Well done’ to everyone involved for making this Christmas lunch a resounding success and spreading joy to so many.