A passenger ferry which ran aground yesterday in hurrican-force winds was refloated today after more than 30 hours at sea.
Two tugs managed to pull the P&Q European Highlander, with 100 people on board, off the rocks at Cairnryan in southwest Scotland with the help of the high tide.
The operation to refloat the stricken ferry took less than half an hour.
An onboard sound of an announcement bell signalled that the 43 passengers and 57 crew were aware of their successful rescue.
The ferry was travelling from Larne in Northern Ireland to Cairnryan when it went aground close to its docking point. There were initial hopes that the vessel could have been refloated last night, but a decision was made to keep the passengers and crew onboard overnight and begin the operation this morning.
A spokeswoman for P&O said the passengers had spent a comfortable night on board.
She said: "There was plenty of nourishment and refreshment available. Now they are just waiting to make their onward journeys."
And she said P&O will be compensating all passengers, but the amount is not yet agreed.
She said: "We will be contacting all passengers involved over the next couple of days and looking at some sort of compensation."
PA