Read Authentic Ratings for the Stena-Superfast-Vii

A tragic incident at the ferry terminal in Cairnryan on July 23, 2024, at 7 a.m. resulted in the death of a dedicated port worker, John Alexander Hamilton, aged 60. Hamilton, who had devoted 40 years of service to Stena, was performing his duties at Loch Ryan Port when the unfortunate accident occurred as the 'Stena Superfast VII' was preparing to depart. While following standard safety protocols, Hamilton, alongside his colleague Michael Hughes, was assisting in unmooring the ferry. The new quay at Loch Ryan, built in the 2010s with auto-docking arms to facilitate quick mooring processes, had one of its arms malfunctioning that morning. In response, the ferry's captain directed the crew to use additional mooring lines at the stern, as per the established procedures. As Hamilton worked to release the mooring lines from the aft-most bollard, he employed the correct technique by lifting both lines using their tails and walking them toward the quay's edge, a practice intended to prevent the lines from fouling the ferry's propellers. However, Hughes soon noticed Hamilton approaching the edge more closely than usual. He heard Hamilton call out to him, but there were no signs of distress. Noticing a potential danger, Hughes alerted the winch operator to halt the winching operation. Unfortunately, it took 2-4 seconds for the machinery to respond, and during this interval, Hamilton was suddenly lifted off his feet, pulled high into the air, and over the docking arm, falling approximately 4-5 meters into the water below. It is suspected that Hamilton may have become entangled in one or both of the five-foot-long tails attached to the lines' eyes, which recoiled violently after his descent. Upon hitting the water, Hamilton's personal flotation device inflated as intended, but it did not right him. He floated face-down until Hughes bravely entered the water to help keep him upright. They waited for 15 minutes by the quayside ladder before the ferry's rescue boat could reach them. Sadly, Hamilton had suffered a fatal neck injury from the fall and may have inhaled water; he was pronounced dead at the scene. In the wake of this tragic event, quay management has taken steps to enhance safety. The tails on the mooring lines have been shortened, potential obstructions that could entangle lines have been removed, and the protocol of walking the eye to the dock's edge has been discontinued. A designated 'no-go' zone has been clearly marked on the dock, instructing dock workers to stay clear, while crew members are now required to stop winching operations if anyone enters this area. This adjustment acknowledges a trade-off between risk and operational efficiency, which management deemed necessary to enhance overall safety.

In a heartbreaking incident, John Hamilton, a 60-year-old port worker, lost his life after becoming ensnared in ropes linked to the mooring lines of the ferry 'Stena Superfast VII' at Cairnryan. The tragic event occurred as he managed the lines on the quay while they were being winched aboard the vessel. Without warning, Hamilton was suddenly lifted off his feet, colliding with a metal structure on the quay before striking the hull of the ferry and ultimately plunging into the water. Preliminary investigations indicated that Hamilton, who served as a port services operative, had adhered to all required safety protocols at the time of the accident. Sheriff Garry Sutherland noted that the tragic event may have been preventable, suggesting that proper safety measures could have averted the disaster. He emphasized that the ferry crew should have paused the retrieval of the mooring lines while Hamilton was present in the vicinity and recommended that the individual responsible for managing the mooring operations keep a vigilant watch on the quayside.

On January 11, 2026, a remarkable rescue operation unfolded as the 'Stena Superfast VII' intervened to assist a yacht in distress north of Loch Ryan. The yacht, which had one lone sailor aboard, was rendered uncontrollable due to a failure of its anchor line amid gale force winds. The Stranraer RNLI’s inshore lifeboat (ILB) was dispatched at 5:59 p.m. by HM Coastguard to provide critical support. Throughout the challenging conditions, the crew of the 'Stena Superfast VII' played a vital role by maintaining a continuous visual watch on the drifting vessel, providing accurate position updates that allowed the lifeboat crew to locate the yacht quickly, despite the reduced visibility. Upon the ILB's arrival, the situation proved dire as the yacht was heavily rolling and drifting beam-on to the tumultuous seas, lacking any effective means of control. The lifeboat team skillfully established control lines, successfully maneuvering the yacht head-to-sea—an essential action that stabilized the wayward vessel and alleviated the immediate peril to the skipper. Given the yacht's size and the ferocity of the elements, the RNLI Girvan’s all-weather lifeboat was called in to facilitate a safe tow to harbor. Once on the scene, the tow was efficiently transferred, and the yacht was guided back to Stranraer Marina. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the lifeboat crews and HM Coastguard teams ashore, the yacht was secured, and the sailor was brought to safety, marking the incident as a successful operation against challenging maritime conditions.

Passengers aboard the 'Stena Superfast VII' faced a long and tedious journey as they found themselves stranded off the coast of Northern Ireland for more than 12 hours. The ferry set sail from Cairnryan port in Dumfries and Galloway at 1 a.m. on December 6, 2024, but due to the severe weather conditions brought on by Storm Darragh, the vessel was forced to seek refuge along the Antrim coast. As the ship entered Belfast Lough, the captain made the critical decision to turn back, citing unsafe conditions for docking. The ferry remained at anchor until it was safe to proceed, ultimately berthing in Belfast after a delay of 13 hours once the weather had improved.

On May 27, 2023, a critical medical emergency unfolded aboard the 'Stena Superfast VII', a ferry navigating towards Belfast. At approximately 3:55 PM UTC, a passenger onboard experienced a suspected cardiac arrest while the vessel was positioned at coordinates 54 45 21 N, 005 37 37 W, roughly 2.5 nautical miles from Blackhead Lighthouse in Belfast Lough. Promptly responding to the situation, the Bangor Community Rescue Team (CRT) and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) were dispatched to assist. The ferry made an urgent turnaround and headed back to Belfast, facilitating a swift emergency evacuation. The Bangor CRT successfully retrieved the patient, who was then transferred to an awaiting ambulance for medical treatment. The search and rescue operations (SAROPS) concluded at 5:10 PM, ensuring the passenger received timely care.

On July 12, 2021, the Stena Superfast VII encountered a fire in its engine room while traversing the waters from Cairnryan to Belfast, an incident that unfolded around 9 p.m. Local lifeboats from Bangor, Donaghadee, and Larne were promptly deployed to address the emergency. In addition, search and rescue teams from Bangor, Portaferry, Larne, and Portmuck quickly responded to the call for assistance. The ferry was scheduled to reach Belfast at approximately 9:45 p.m., but it arrived later at 10:15 p.m., with coastguard support and tugs on standby. Fortunately, all passengers were safely disembarked from the vessel after being directed to specific assembly areas once the alarm sounded, while the ferry was still navigating the waters of Belfast Lough.