Watch the moment ferry grounds after captain 'falls asleep'

A ferry was grounded on an island in the Pentland Firth after the ship's captain "almost certainly fell asleep", a report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found.

A total of 41 people were injured when the MV Alfred grounded on Swona on 5 July 2022 on a crossing from Gills Bay to St Margaret's Hope in Orkney.

MAIB found that the ship's master had "experienced a loss of awareness" while at the helm, which the report said was "almost certainly as a result of falling asleep for approximately 70 seconds".

As a result, the Alfred swung towards the coast. CCTV from onboard the vessel shows the moment the ferry struck rocks at a speed of 13 knots.

22 May 2024