An action taken by a young seaman working aboard the MV Kilkenny when it and the MV Hasselwerder collided in Dublin Bay in 1991 with the loss of three lives was settled at the High Court yesterday.
Mr Mark Woodward (23), of Valeview Gardens, Finglas, Dublin, had claimed he found himself in the water after the collision, that it was cold and dark and he feared for his life. He was picked up by a pilot boat 20 minutes later, he claimed.
He was brought to the accident and emergency unit at Beaumont Hospital where he claimed he was found to have sustained bruising to the foot and shin.
He claimed he was seriously traumatised, has frequent nightmares of sinking ships and has relived the events. He found news of disasters hard to cope with and was deeply traumatised by the loss of three colleagues in the accident.
His action against B & I Line, which he claimed employed him aboard the MV Kilkenny at the time of the accident, and Partin Reederei, a German company and owner of the MV Hasselwerder, which was chartered to B & I Line at the time of the accident, was listed for hearing yesterday.
However, Mr Padraig McCartan SC, for Mr Woodward, told Mr Justice Johnson the matter had been settled. Details of the settlement were not read in court. The judge struck out the proceedings with no order.
Mr Woodward had sued the defendants for damages for personal injuries, loss and distress which he claimed to have sustained because of alleged negligence and breach of duty of the defendants. Both companies denied the claims.
Several other actions regarding the 1991 collision are listed for hearing in the coming weeks.