Missing Passenger In Irish Sea
January 28, 2006
Norse Merchant Ferries Lagan Viking
Unknown Male
Date: January 28, 2006
Bruise: Missing
Bruise Location: Irish Sea
Age: 35
Home Town: Runcorn in Cheshire
Cruise Line: Norse Merchant Ferries
Ship: Lagan Viking
Details:
The missing man is believed to be a 35-year-old from Runcorn in Cheshire, according to Merseyside Police.
He was travelling home with his girlfriend after a visit to Belfast when he went into the Irish Sea around 2:00am local time.
Most passengers on board were asleep in their cabins at the time and were unaware of the man overboard.
A major air and sea search was launched after the man was seen going overboard from the ferry cruising from Belfast to Liverpool shortly after 2:00.am.
The crew reported the man overboard nine miles south of the Isle of Man.
The alarm was raised by the crew of the Lagan Viking who threw a marker buoy into the water and turned their vessel and began the search.
Liverpool Coastguard co-ordinated the search and several vessels joined in the hunt including the Lagan Viking's sister ship, Mersey Viking, which was sailing from Liverpool to Belfast.
The lifeboat from Port St Mary as well as an RAF helicopter from Anglesey were scrambled to the search area
The survey ship Corystes and the Moon Dance also joined the search before the ferries resumed their journeys.
At around mid-afternoon, after nine hours searching the freezing waters, the search for the 35-year-old man was called off.
The man was never found.
The Lagan Viking was built by Visentini, Italy, and put into service in July 2, 2005. She holds 988 passengers plus 160 cars, and can travel at a speed of 22.5 knots.
