On May 25, an empty paddle steamer sunk off the Welsh coast while it was being towed to Ireland.
What happened?
The empty paddle steamer ‘MV Oliver Cromwell’ was in the process of being towed to Ireland when it started sinking about 12 miles west of South Stack, near Holyhead, Anglesey.
Steamer was empty
Since the steamer was empty during the time of sinking, no lives needed rescuing or pollution to the environment was reported. RNLI’s Holyhead lifeboat was called to the scene, but there was nothing the crew could do to save the boat.
Coxswain Tony Price said, “It was sad to see such a lovely vessel sink like that”. The reason for the vessel sinking remains unknown.
Insights on the steamer
The £245,000 steamer was built as a Dutch barge in 1922 and converted to a riverboat hotel in 1993. It had been moored at Gloucester Docks for the past 25 years. However in 2017, it was put up for sale by English Holiday Cruises.
The steamer was on its way to its new home in Coleraine, Northern Ireland when it sank.
Richard Clements, managing director of the company said, “We are very upset that the paddle steamer had been denied a new lease of life and had sent commiserations to the new buyers”.
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Source: i News
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