About the

MV Princess Victoria

The MV Princess Victoria was launched on 27th August 1946 and delivered to Stranraer on the West coast of Scotland on 8th March 1947.

The car ferry was to sail between Stranraer and  Larne on Northern Ireland's North East coast. The most striking feature of the ship was its car deck--unfortunately also its Achilles heel.

The car deck was 170 feet long and ran the full length of the ship. The deck was completely open to allow cars and lorries to enter. A turntable was fitted amidships. Vehicles drove on and were then turned around during the ship's voyage so they could easily drive off when the ship docked. The Princess Victoria was one of the world's first roll on roll off or 'RO-RO' ferries.

The Terrible Storm of 31st January, 1953

The Princess Victoria left her berth in Stranraer just after 8am. There was a gale warning for the Irish sea. As the ship left Scotland's Loch Ryan with 177 crew and passengers on board, she was hit by an exceptionally heavy sea. Waves crashed over the ship, bursting open the stern doors. The force of the water carried away the slip bolts and upright stays that were holding the ferry doors shut. 18 inches of water quickly flooded the car deck. The scuppers, the holes in the side of the deck designed to drain it of any spillage were unable to cope with 44,000 gallons of sea water. The severe North to Northwest gales at hurricane force were continuing to pound at the ship.

11:35: Car deck flooded. Very heavy list to starboard. Ship not under command. Require immediate assistance

13:15: We are preparing to abandon ship

Unfortunately, the ship's captain and bridge officers were confused about the position of the ship. Coastguards in Scotland tracking the Princess Victoria's distress messages weren't sure where exactly where she was.

The Sir Samuel Kelly crew to the rescue

At home in Donaghadee, Hugh Nelson, the coxswain of the Sir Samuel Kelly lifeboat was listening to the BBC radio news while the storm raged outside. As soon as they heard the Princess Victoria was in trouble Hugh and his son, also called Hugh, made their way to the harbour in Donaghadee where the lifeboat was moored. By 13.25 the coxswain had received a message to say a vessel was in urgent distress. Maroons were fired to alert the rest of the crew and by 13.40 the rescue mission was underway. The crew would be at sea for 24 of the next 36 hours.

The radio on the Princess Victoria fell silent

On the Princess Victoria, the crew had managed to launch some lifeboats. A lifeboat filled with women and children was smashed against the hull of the ferry by the tumultuous waves and all on board were lost. The wind was blowing  gusts of 40 to 60 knots and waves were up to 9 metres high. At about 1500 hours, an hour after the last radio message from the Princess Victoria, an oil tanker the Pass of Drumochter plus a cargo ship the MV Lairdsmoor and a trawler Eastcoates made it to the site of the wreck. They could see people on lifeboats, but could they get to them?