Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely has written to a transport minister asking her to speed up the maritime accident investigation into August’s engine fire on board Wightlink’s ‘Wight Sky’ ferry, to help stop disruption to passengers.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is still investigating the second of 3 fires on board Wight Sky several months after it occurred. The fire broke out whilst the ferry was crossing the Solent on 26th August.
The ongoing probe means the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has ‘imposed’ wind restrictions on the vessel, causing widespread disruption to services from Yarmouth to Lymington.
In a letter to Nus Ghani, Mr Seely has said:
“The slow progress of this investigation is having a significant adverse impact on the service which Wightlink provides to my constituents.
“Until this investigation is concluded – and the resulting recommendations are implemented – Wightlink will continue to suffer from service disruption, particularly because of wind restrictions that MCA has placed on the operator in the meantime.
“There has been another fire this weekend which has had a major impact, leading to an even tighter wind restriction being put in place by the MCA.
“I would therefore seek your urgent intervention as the relevant minister, to require MAIB to accelerate and conclude its investigation as a matter of urgency.
Article continues below this advertisement “It is unacceptable for such a lifeline service, which many of my constituents rely on for hospital, commuter and personal commitments, to be continually and repeatedly disrupted as a result of the slow progress of MAIB’s investigation. The outcome of this investigation is needed in order for the issue to be fully resolved.”
However, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) told Island Echo earlier this week that the restrictions were self-imposed by Wightlink and accepted by the MCA – they were not imposed on Wightlink.
A MAIB report into the September 2017 fire ruled that debris had got into the engine when it was reassembled. The causes of the August 2018 and December 2018 fires is unknown at this stage.
