Thursday, March 23, 2023

Dry-docked ship dislodges in Scotland, injures 25 people


A dry-docked ship dislodged on the Imperial Dock in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Wednesday, causing injuries to 25 people. 
Photo courtesy of Councilor Adam McVey/Twitter

March 22 (UPI) -- A dry-docked ship dislodged at the Imperial Dock in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Wednesday, injuring 25 people.

The large research vessel, Petrel, tipped over at the Port of Leith at about 4:30 a.m. EST, coming to a 45-degree tilt. Fifteen people were transported to local hospitals and 10 more received treatment on the scene, according to CBS News.

Large ships often are dry-docked so their hulls can be inspected or repaired.

Dales Marine Services, which operates the dry dock, confirmed what it called a "serious incident" in a statement posted on Twitter. It said it was "liaising with the emergency services and relevant authorities in dealing with the ongoing incident," about 4 hours after the incident was first reported.

Councilor Adam McVey, a local politician, tweeted that the ship became dislodged from its holding, "in strong winds."

"Terrifying for those on board, my thoughts are with those who've been injured & hope everyone recovers quickly," he tweeted. "Please avoid area."



The estate of late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen owns RV Petrel, which has been used to discover several historic shipwrecks, such as the Japanese Imperial Navy's IJN Musashi, which was lost for more than 70 years.

According to ABC News, the ship is 250-feet long and has remained docked since 2020 due to challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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