Ship Collision in the Straits of Gibraltar

Yet another ship collision occurred last week off Italy's Coast in the Straits of Gibralter, this time between a high speed ferry and a merchant ferry. The high speed ferry Millennium Dos was carrying 174 passengers, 37 vehicles and 4 freight units at the time when it was hit by New Glory, a merchant freighter. As a result of the high-impact collision, a massive hole was cut in the starboard side of the Millennium Dos.

Thankfully, the safety of the ferry was not significantly compromised and the Millennium Dos was able to dock at its intended destination of Ceuta. Only one person was injured and subsequently evacuated after suffering a right leg fracture and cut to the head. High speed ferries are regularly used to transport people, cars and freight because of their low-cost and efficiency. Unfortunately, passengers on board high speed ferries can be sometimes uninformed on safety procedures and this may prove to be a fatal problem.

When a ferry boat is seriously damaged and unable to dock, the lives of hundreds of people are in danger, including the ferry workers. Contact an offshore injury attorney if you know that the negligence of a ferry captain or employer has led to an accident or injury onboard your offshore vessel. As an offshore worker, your rights are protected under the Jones Act and other maritime law. An offshore injury attorney from our firm can further investigate your case to determine if you can file a claim for compensation, so take action today.