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The Herald of Free Enterprise Story: A Tragedy of Maritime Mismanagement

Alan Turner

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Published in Ninety Seconds At Zeebrugge: The Herald Of Free Enterprise Story

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The Herald of Free Enterprise was a roll-on/roll-off ferry that operated between Dover, England, and Zeebrugge, Belgium. On March 6, 1987, the ferry capsized off the coast of Belgium, killing 193 people.

Ninety Seconds at Zeebrugge: The Herald of Free Enterprise Story

by Iain Yardley

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	9775 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	446 pages

The disaster was caused by a series of human errors and equipment failures. The ferry's bow doors were not properly closed before it departed from Dover. This allowed water to flood into the car deck, which caused the ferry to lose stability and capsize.

The human errors that contributed to the disaster included:

The failure of the crew to properly close the bow doors
The failure of the crew to properly monitor the watertight doors
The failure of the crew to properly train for emergencies

The equipment failures that contributed to the disaster included:

The failure of the bow doors to properly latch
The failure of the watertight doors to properly seal
The failure of the emergency alarms to sound

The Herald of Free Enterprise disaster was a tragedy that could have been avoided. The human errors and equipment failures that caused the disaster were all preventable. The disaster led to a number of changes in the way that ferries are operated, including:

The requirement for ferries to have double hulls
The requirement for ferries to have watertight doors that are regularly inspected and tested
The requirement for ferries to have emergency alarms that are regularly tested

The Herald of Free Enterprise disaster is a reminder of the importance of maritime safety. The human errors and equipment failures that caused the disaster could have been prevented, and the disaster led to a number of changes in the way that ferries are operated. These changes have made ferries safer, and they have helped to prevent future tragedies.