THE DEPARTMENT of Transport has initiated an investigation into a potentially serious incident involving a west coast island ferry which has been attributed to poor lighting at a south Mayo pier.
Five people – two passengers and three crew – had a narrow escape after the ferry serving Inishturk island hit a rock on approach to Roonagh pier outside Louisburgh on the mainland.
The ferry company has been forced to suspend all sailings after dark, pending resolution of the lighting issue which it says it has raised repeatedly with Mayo County Council.
The incident occurred on the evening of December 20th last, when the Clare Island ferry company’s Pirate Queen was approaching Roonagh on a regular trip from Inisturk island, which is some 14km off the Mayo coast.
Fortunately, an inflatable belonging to the same company was close to the pier at the time, and was able to rescue the two passengers and take them ashore, while the ferry crew attempted to refloat the vessel.
The 96-seater ferry was so badly damaged that it is out of service and in repair in Killybegs, Co Donegal.
Donal O’Shea, who is development manager on the neighbouring Clare Island, said only for the fact that the inflatable was in the vicinity and the ferry was double hulled, lives could have been lost.
“When you think of what happened in Glandore only several weeks later, the people on board were very lucky,” he told The Irish Times.
Mr O’Shea said that the pier’s navigational lighting was not working on the evening in question.
Temporary flood lighting installed on the pier five years ago is also said to have a “blinding” effect on vessels attempting to approach it in darkness.
“We have been on to the local authority constantly about maintaining lighting on both Roonagh and on Clare Island pier,” Mr O’Shea said.
Roonagh pier, which serves as landing stage for a population of 220 residents spread between Clare Island (population 162) and Inishturk (population 58), is exposed to constant swells.
The leading lighting and lights at the end of the pier are also said to be affected regularly in bad weather.
Conditions on the night in question were said to be reasonable, but with a “lumpy” sea.
The Department of Transport said initially that it was “aware” of the incident and its marine surveyors had carried out an initial survey of the vessel.
“As a result of severe damage, the vessel is now in Killybegs under repairs that are supervised by the Marine Survey Office,” the department said last week, adding that it could not comment further.
This week it confirmed that an investigation was taking place.
Mayo council said that it would not comment until after the investigation was complete.
The ferry company was unavailable for comment, but it is understood that a temporary replacement vessel has been hired to ensure that Inishturk still has a ferry service, as contracted by the Government.