Zeebrugge: Britain’s worst peacetime maritime disaster explained
Zeebrugge ferry
The capsizing of the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry in the English channel claimed the lives of almost 200 people.
It remains Britain’s worst peacetime maritime disaster.
Here we explain what happened, the cause and the consequences.
What happened?
On 6 March 1987, the Townsend Thoresen roll-on, roll-off ferry had just left the Belgian port of Zeebrugge heading for Dover when tragedy happened.
The bow doors on the German-built vessel had not been closed and the ferry rapidly took on water. It ended up on its side, half-submerged on a sandbar in shallow water just 90 metres from the coast.
The British-flagged vessel had more than 450 passengers, 80 crew and 130 vehicles on board.
ferry
The bow doors were left open, which allowed water to flood the car deck. Credit: PA
Heroics by crew and passengers led to the most of them surviving.
The exact death toll was difficult to arrive at to begin with as there was no record of exactly who, or how many people, had boarded the vessel.
Eventually it emerged that 193 has perished – nearly 40 crew and more than 150 passengers.
Why were the bow doors left open?
Assistant bosun Mark Stanley had the job of closing the bow doors on departure from Zeebrugge but did not do so.
He went to his cabin and fell asleep and remained asleep until he was thrown out of his bunk by the capsize of the vessel, having slept through an alarm call which went out over the Tannoy.
The Herald remained on its side in the harbour entrance as vessels continued to sail past, and it was not until a few weeks later that the vessel was dragged upright and bodies were retrieved.
The inquiry
Townsend Thoresen, which later became P&O European Ferries, was severely criticised in a public inquiry report published later in 1987.
Lord Justice Sheen, who conducted the inquiry, said the company had been “infected with the disease of sloppiness” from the top down.
ferry
Townsend Thoresen was severely criticised in the inquiry into the disaster. Credit: PA
The inquiry confirmed the ferry had left the harbour with its bow doors open, allowing water to flood the car deck.
In October 1987 a verdict of unlawful killing of a selected four of those who died was returned by an inquest jury.
The Old Bailey trial and how it led to a change in the law
P&O European Ferries was later charged with corporate manslaughter and seven employees, including three former directors, were charged with manslaughter.
In September 1990, an Old Bailey trial began but a month later the case collapsed after the judge directed the jury to acquit the defendants.
The case was often cited during attempts by the government to get a Corporate Manslaughter Bill through Parliament.
ferry
Rescue workers standing on the side of the half-submerged Herald of Free Enterprise. Credit: PA
The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 was finally introduced across the UK in April 2008.
Before then, for a company to be found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter it was also necessary for a senior figure who could be said to embody the company to be guilty as well.
Changes in safety regulations
The Zeebrugge disaster also led to a far-reaching tightening of international ferry safety regulations, including new design standards for all ferries using UK ports.
Logging details on the number of travellers on board ships for search and rescue purposes were among other measures enforced.
Ships were also required to record the name, age and sex of passengers following confusion about those on board the Herald of Free Enterprise.
ferry
Tougher ferry safety regulations were introduced after the Zeebrugge disaster. Credit: PA
Tougher stability and survivability measures for ferries using British ports were also introduced.
There were further rule changes when the ferry Estonia capsized in a severe storm in the north Baltic Sea in September 1994 with the loss of more than 900 lives.
UK operators of roll-on, roll-off ferries were required to be able to cope with 50cm of water entering the car deck.
Zeebrugge families remember disaster 30 years on