The sinking of the Princess Victoria on 31 January 1953 in the North Channel was the worst maritime disaster in United Kingdom waters since World War II.

The Princess Victoria was one of the earliest roll-on roll-off (RORO) ferries, built in 1947. She was employed by British Rail on the crossing from Stranraer in Scotland to Larne in Northern Ireland. Due to an appalling catalogue of errors she sank in an exceptionally severe storm, after her car deck was flooded. There were 132 deaths, including the Deputy Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Controversially, there were no women or children among the 40 survivors. This disaster shocked many people because it involved a routine journey, on a relatively short crossing in what were believed to be safe waters.

The ship's radio officer, David Broadfoot, was posthumously awarded the George Cross.

There have been further similar sinkings involving roll-on roll-off ferries e.g. the M/S Herald of Free Enterprise and the M/S Estonia.

The sinking of Princess Victoria occurred during a severe European windstorm which also caused the North Sea Flood of 1953, claiming 531 fatalities in the UK alone.

See also

• List of United Kingdom disasters by death toll

Further reading

• Stephen Cameron - Death in the North Channel: The loss of the Princess Victoria, January 1953 ISBN: 1904242014

External Link

• Princess Victoria by David Gordon