Zeebrugge ferry disaster: What happened 30 years ago? Why did the ferry go down?

TODAY marks the 30th anniversary of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster, the worst peacetime maritime disaster in living memory.

What happened in Zeebrugge?

On March 6 1987, 193 people were killed when the Herald of Free Enterprise met with disaster.

The British ferry keeled onto its side around 23 minutes into what should have been a routine journey from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Dover, and dropped into the freezing North Sea.

There were an estimated 539 people were on board including 80 crew members, lorry drivers transporting goods back to the UK and army personnel on weekend leave. 

There were also families on board who had taken advantage of an offer in a national newspaper for £1 return day trips.

More British lives were lost in the disaster than in any other single event since the Second World War.

Many drowned trying to escape the sinking ship, while others succumbed to hypothermia in the frigid 3C waters.

How did the Zeebrugge ferry sink?

The Herald of Free Enterprise was a roll-on, roll-off ferry with one large, open space running the length of the boat, rather than a series of watertight compartments as is usual.

The ferry set sail with its bow doors open, which allowed “hundreds of thousands of gallons” of water to flood in.

The man whose job it was to close the doors, assistant boatswain Mark Stanley, was asleep in his bunk at the time. 

Zeebrugge ferry capsizedGETTY

The Herald of Free Enterprise capsized a mile away from Zeebrugge

The first officer Leslie Sabel said he thought he saw Mr Stanley approaching the doors, although his testimony was ruled inaccurate by a court.

The man thought to be the last person on deck, boatswain Terence Ayling, told a public inquiry that it was not his duty to close the doors.

The court found his attitude “most unfortunate”, but praised his “exemplary” behaviour during rescue efforts.

Stephen Homewood wrote in his book Zeebrugee: A Hero’s Story: “As her speed increased… the bow door ramp was pushed into the water, scooping up every bow wave, so allowing hundreds and thousands of gallons of sea water to pour in.

Zeebrugge ferry disasterGETTY

193 people were killed in the Zeebrugge ferry disaster

“This water settled on the port side, causing that first roll. [Briefly] the ship then steadied; but as more water rushed in, the extra weight sent the ship into its final death roll. 

“Floating on its side for a minute, it settled on the sandbank that saved the ship from turning completely turtle.”

The ferry went down in just two minutes and was around a mile out from the shore. Mercifully it landed on a shoal, which prevented it from sinking to the bottom of the sea.

A nearby dredger saw the ferry and immediately launched a rescue operation. The Royal Navy co-ordinated a flotilla of ships and boats, while Belgian officials sent medical personnel to the harbour to help injured survivors.

Rescue workers stood on the Herald of Free EnterpriseGETTY

Rescue workers stood on the Herald of Free Enterprise

Was there an inquest into the Zeebrugge ferry disaster?

In October 1987, a coroner's inquest into the capsizing returned verdicts of unlawful killing.

A public inquiry headed by Lord Justice Sir Barry Sheen concluded that there was a “disease of sloppiness” at Townsend Thoresen, the subsidiary of P&O which operated the Herald.

The Crown Prosecution Service charged P&O European Ferries with corporate manslaughter. Seven employees including Sabel and Stanley were charged with manslaughter, however the case collapsed.