A ferry carrying passengers from Rosslare to Cherbourg drifted for four hours in high seas and gale-force winds yesterday morning after it developed engine problems.
The ferry, The Diplomat, which had its first voyage under new owners Celtic Link two weeks ago, developed a problem with its cooling system, forcing the engines to shut down while repairs were carried out.
The trouble began as the vessel approached the English Channel at about 5.30 a.m. While repairs were continuing, the vessel drifted towards the south-east coast of England.
The Falmouth Coastguard was alerted and raised concerns that the vessel was drifting near to Wolf Rock, west of the Cornish Peninsula.
A lifeboat and two tugboats went to the scene and remained on stand-by to ensure the ferry stayed clear of the rocky coastline. A Falmouth coastguard spokesman, Mr Mick Quinn, said that fortunately the ferry's rate of drift took it past the rocks.
The vessel's crew resolved the mechanical problems without assistance from the rescue services.
The ferry was carrying 70 passengers, 33 crew and 65 freight vehicles and had left Rosslare in Co Wexford at 8 p.m. on Saturday. It was originally due in France at 5 p.m. yesterday. After the repairs were completed, the 16,776-tonne vessel continued its journey and was expected to reach the French port at just before midnight last night, six hours behind schedule.
The vessel, a former P&O roll on/roll-off ferry, was bought by six Co Wexford fishermen, all brothers from Kilmore Quay, in a €10 million deal in January. Yesterday Mr Denis O'Flaherty, one of the owners, said: "The vessel developed a problem in the cooling system and it was decided to shut the engines down while the repairs were going on. This took three hours," he said.
The captain and engineers had decided that it was better to carry out the repairs then, he said.
"There was never any danger to passengers, crew or the vessel. It was all done under controlled conditions.
"It did drift as it was in deep water and there were gale-force conditions but it was all done safely," Mr O'Flaherty said.
P&O Ferries still manages the crew and vessel. A P&O spokeswoman said yesterday that the matter was resolved and there had been no need for the vessel to go to Falmouth.
The coastguard had remained on stand-by and there was never any danger.
The vessel was used by P&O on the Rosslare/Cherbourg route until it closed the route last December. The new company Celtic Ferries Link Ltd, trading as Celtic Link, bought the ship, which sails under the Bermudan flag. It has three sailings a week.