UK- Leith Docks major incident, numerous injured, All emergency services present as ship tips towards dock at worrying angle, Edinburgh, 22 March 2023

[dotr]

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/read-this/leith-docks-major-incident-all-emergency-services-present-as-ship-tips-towards-dock-at-worrying-angle-4074865?itm_source=Internal&itm_channel=section_banner&itm_campaign=breaking-news-ticker&itm_content=5

''Emergency services have confirmed that 25 people have been ijured following a major incident at Leith Docks in Scotland. A ship in the Imperial Dock in Leith became dislodged from its holding due to high winds, and is now tipping towards the dock.

Eye-witnesses claim the vessel, named ‘The Petrel’, is leaning at a 45-degree angle. The incident has required the attendance of fire crews, police, ambulances and the air ambulance, all of which are currently in attendance at the scene in Edinburgh.''

''A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call at 8.29am to attend an incident in Leith. We have dispatched five ambulances, an air ambulance, three trauma teams, our special operations team, three paramedic response units and one patient transport vehicle.
“We transported 15 patients to hospital – 11 to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and four to Western General Hospital. A further 10 patients were treated and discharged at the scene.”

 

[dotr]

 

[AmandaSkis]

How scary! And what can even be done if the weather is still bad?

 

[ifindedout]

Flooding the dock and letting the ship right herself (once the weather has eased) is not going to be the answer, as she's past the point of self-recovery while afloat. We don't know what the state of her hull was when the incident happened. If she was just being defouled and painted, and no bilge damage occurred, a combination of gradual dock flooding and winching the ship to an even keel might be the solution. However, if the hull has been compromised, or was open as part of the repair or refit, flooding might be off the table. IDK about her compartmentalization, but it's likely that any watertight doors are open, and for safety reasons it's not going to be possible to go aboard and close them.
All MOO

ETA: for safety reasons

 

[dotr]

March 24 2023
By John Glover

Expert says Leith ship collapse 'unlikely' to have been because of high winds

A major incident was declared on Wednesday at the Imperial Dock after the vessel had become dislodged from its holding and was left tilted at a 45-degree angle

www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk

''A marine architecture expert believes it was "unlikely" that strong winds caused a ship in Leith Docks to topple, injuring more than 35 people.

Last night, seven people were still in hospital after the R/V Petrel keeled over in Edinburgh on Wednesday, March 22 as gusts of 45 miles per hour hit the area.


It had been suggested that gales might have caused the vessel owned by the US navy and operated by Oceaneering International to fall over to a 45-degree angle.

Dr Iraklis Lazakis, from Strathclyde University's department of marine architecture, BBC Scotland: "I've never myself come across any such accidents, being involved in a number of dry dock runnings throughout the world, as well as through my academic career.

"No such thing has happened before. It's very, very unusual for such accidents to happen. The dry dock is like a dug-up big ditch or shelf where the ship sits down with all its structure and weight. So it might have been unlikely just to be tipped over by the wind.''

"The boat has been used for deepwater searches for shipwrecks, including the long-lost USS Indianapolis, which was sunk by a Japanese submarine in the Pacific Ocean during the Second World War.''

 

[ifindedout]

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Wasn't aware that two ships (top photo in the Daily Express) were allowed to occupy a drydock, or that Petrel was so short (and that the dock was so long). Good thing Petrel wasn't at the gate end of the lock, else that other ship would be trapped.
If it wasn't the wind, these possibilities come to mind:

• one of the blocks gave way
• the ship was improperly positioned on the blocks to begin with
• concentration to starboard of repair equipment inside, on deck, or both
• extension of the ship's starboard crane, causing an imbalance

It's entirely possible that more than one of the above factors combined to tip the ship. Also, while the wind may not have been the sole cause, it might have been the final straw.
Article with view of Petrel showing her starboard crane extended:
FEATURE | Research vessel Petrel on a roll with historical shipwreck finds - Baird Maritime

All MOO

 

[ifindedout]

The ship was refloated in early May.

Navy Research Vessel R/V Petrel Righted and Refloated - USNI News

The U.S. Navy research vessel that tipped over in a Scotland drydock, injuring 35, has been righted and refloated this week, according to local press reports. Posts on social media show the drydock at Imperial Dock begin to flood on Sunday and R/V Petrel being positioned by tugs on Tuesday. The...

news.usni.org

 

[dotr]

March 22 2024

Leith docks ship collapse survivors with 'catastrophic' injuries 'want answers'

More than 20 people were hospitalised during the incident last year, but authorities have still not reported the causes.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

''Survivors who suffered "catastrophic and life-changing" injuries when a ship collapsed at Leith Docks say they are still waiting for answers one year on.

A major incident was declared after US Navy research vessel RV Petrel tipped during high winds in a dry dock in March last year. The ship tipped to a 45 degree angle, injuring 35 people, 23 of which were taken to hospital.''
“We currently support 13 people from four different nations and while I cannot divulge details, some have suffered truly catastrophic, life-changing injuries.
'' One of the workers who suffered horror injuries in the incident was painter Constantin Pogor.

The vessel in the dry dock (Image: @Tomafc83)
The 48-year-old from Romania told how he was painting the 250ft-long ship's command tower when he realised he was "flying from one side of the bridge to the other". He hit a metal beam and was knocked unconscious, suffering a broken pelvis and dislocated elbow.''