Passengers evacuated as Pentalina runs aground

Sixty passengers onboard mv Pentalina had to be evacuated this evening after the ship ran aground in St Margaret’s Hope.

The ship’s operators, Pentland Ferries, has said that smoke was detected in the catamaran’s engine room before it grounded at around 7.30pm.

A statement issued by the ferry company shortly after the incident confirmed that all passengers were safe and that emergency services were in attendance.

An update on the company’s Facebook page on Saturday night said: “All passengers that were onboard MV Pentalina tonight are safe and are either at home or at their accommodation.

”Our customer services team are contacting all customers that are due to travel. Further updates will follow.”

A spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “St Margaret’s Hope, Stromness and Kirkwall Coastguard Rescue Teams, alongside Stromness and Longhope RNLI lifeboats responded to a passenger vessel reporting a fire and having grounded, with minor water ingress, near St Margaret’s Hope at approx. 7.30pm today.

“A mayday broadcast was issued. The fire was extinguished, and passengers were evacuated by lifeboat to St Margaret’s Hope, where they were met by the Scottish Ambulance Service and Police Scotland. All passengers have been reported safe and well.”

The ship only returned to the St Margaret’s Hope-Gills Bay route on Wednesday following mv Alfred’s departure for berthing trials on West Coast routes.

The Pentalina had been returning to St Margaret’s Hope on its last sailing of the day when the incident occurred.

Passengers were evacuated from the stricken ship to waiting buses and then dispatched to Cromarty Hall in the village.

A statement on RNLI Stromness Lifeboat’s Facebook page read: “Many thanks to the volunteer crews of Stromness and Longhope lifeboats for prompt action in the safe evacuation of a passenger vessel in Scapa Flow this evening.

“All passengers and their baggage, plus some crew, were taken the short distance to shore and some crew remained on the boat.”

As the evening wore on, the Pentalina remained hard fast close to its berth at the ‘Hope.

The Coastguard tug, Ievoli Black, departed the pier at Hatston and vessel tracking sites showed that it was heading for Scapa Flow.

The response by emergency crews has been praised by authorities.

A meeting of the Orkney Local Emergency Co-ordination Group (OLECG) was convened following the incident.

In a statement issued shortly before midnight, OLECG chairwoman, Hayley Green, said: “OLECG met this evening at 22.45 to review and update on the situation with the Pentalina.

“It was noted that that all passengers are accounted for and safe, and in accommodation. The situation, including the impact on ferry provision across the Pentland Firth, will be reviewed over the coming days

“OLECG noted the excellent response from all agencies to the incident, including the local community and volunteer lifeboat crews.”