The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) surveyors from the Southampton Marine Office have completed a full inspection of the Queen Elizabeth 2 liner after its Nov. 11 grounding near the Brambles sand bank in the Solent, and they have given the all clear for the ship to continue on its final journey.
At 05.30 on Nov. 11 the crew of the 70,000 gross tons ship reported to Solent Coastguard that they feared she may have run aground two nautical miles north west of Cowes whilst en route into Southampton. Five harbour tugs attended the scene and the vessel was successfully refloated, and escorted into Southampton where MCA surveyors fully inspected the vessel to ensure she had not suffered any damage during the grounding.
Assistant Director of Seafarers and Ships, Paul Coley said, “No-one on board was injured when the ship ran aground, and after refloating it continued on a safe passage into Southampton with the tugs.”
Upon arrival into Southampton at the QE2 terminal, MCA surveyors boarded the ship and after carrying out an inspection together with a diver’s examination concluded that she was not damaged in the grounding and that it was safe to continue on her final voyage.
(Source: The Maritime & Coastguard Agency Press Office)