Working Conditions Aboard the W.b.-Yeats

The 'W.B. Yeats,' a prominent ferry, encountered significant damage on the evening of November 23, 2024, due to the fierce conditions of Storm Bert. The vessel was making its way from Dublin to Cherbourg when it was struck by a massive wave approximately 11 nautical miles north of the Tuskar Rock lighthouse, while cruising at a speed of 12 knots. This tumultuous encounter led to shattered bridge windows, which compromised the ferry's central bridge controls and radar systems. As a result, the 'W.B. Yeats' was compelled to turn back, arriving back at port on November 24, and has remained docked and stationary as of November 27. For a glimpse of the incident, check out this photo: https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3784392?navList=gallery&category=39&page=1&viewType=normal&sortBy=newest.

A body has been retrieved from the shore amid ongoing search efforts for a man who vanished while aboard the 'W.B. Yeats' ferry traveling from Dublin to Holyhead. The individual was reported missing on October 5 at approximately 9 p.m., following his last known sighting on the vessel around 4 p.m. In response to the alarming situation, authorities initiated an extensive maritime search off the coast of Wales. Local police have now confirmed the recovery of a body at Ynys Y Fydlyn in Anglesey, prompted by a concerned local resident who alerted the authorities. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and local coastguard successfully transported the body to the Holyhead lifeboat station, where it was subsequently transferred to Gwynedd Hospital in Bangor. At this time, it remains unclear whether the body belongs to the missing man, but his family has been notified of the latest developments.

On October 5, 2020, a distress signal was activated around 9 p.m. when a Polish crew member reportedly fell overboard from the ferry 'W.B. Yeats' while navigating the Irish Sea on the Dublin to Holyhead route. The last known sighting of the crew member occurred between 3:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. the same day. Authorities promptly initiated a search operation, supervised by HM Coastguard in Holyhead, Wales, with support from the Irish Coast Guard, which dispatched an aircraft to assist from 12:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. on October 6. The RNLI volunteers from Holyhead were paged at 10:50 p.m., launching the lifeboat 'Christopher Pearce' and the inshore D-class lifeboat 'Mary and Archie Hooper.' Additionally, the 'John D Spicer,' a Tamar class lifeboat from Porthdinllaen, was launched shortly after 11 p.m., conducting searches approximately 70 miles west of South Stack under slight to moderate sea conditions. Moelfre’s Tamar class lifeboat 'Kiwi' was also launched just before 11:15 p.m. Rescue teams from the Irish Coastguard helicopter and the UK Coastguard’s fixed-wing aircraft joined the extensive search efforts. After several hours, the RNLI lifeboats returned to their respective stations, with Holyhead’s inshore lifeboat safely back at 1:30 a.m., while the all-weather lifeboat returned to Holyhead's inner port at 3:30 a.m. Porthdinllaen’s all-weather lifeboat was back by 4:30 a.m., and Moelfre’s crew returned at 5:20 a.m. Despite covering an area exceeding 1,000 square nautical miles, the search was called off in the evening of October 6, with no trace of the missing crew member found.