West country ferry holed after collision with a Royal Navy landing craft
An investigation has been launched after a Royal Navy landing craft collided with and holed the Cremyll ferry Northern Belle near Plymouth’s Mayflower Marina on the morning of Thursday 19 December. The ferry, which operates between Stonehouse and Cremyll, was carrying two passengers in addition to its crew, but fortunately they, and all three naval personnel aboard the landing craft were unhurt.
“The Queen’s Harbour Master is liaising with the Maritime Coastguard Agency and the causes of the incident are being investigated”, said a Royal Navy spokesman. “The landing craft was on its way to Plymouth Sound to take part in a training exercise with two small Royal Naval inflatable boats”.
It isn’t known if the landing craft from HMS Raleigh suffered any damage in the collision, but Northern Belle was taken to Mashford’s boatyard at Cremyll for repairs.
