Two passenger ferries from Ireland for Mauritius delay

The cargo ship that was due to transport two passenger ferries from Galway to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius has been placed under arrest in Galway docks this afternoon.

The order detaining the 7,000-tonne Danish-registered Thor Gitta was made by the Admiralty Court.

Harbour Master Brian Sheridan said he had not been informed why the ship was being detained, but it would mean the immediate suspension of any plans to transport the two ferries from Galway.

Last week, three men were injured when one of the ferries fell 12 metres from a sling as it was being loaded onto the Thor Gitta in Galway Harbour.

A fresh bid to move the ferries was to have been made early today but it was cancelled because of what were described as 'legal and insurance' issues.

Capt Sheridan said the issues had arisen between the French company which bought the passenger ferries and the Danish cargo ship's agents.

A first attempt to transport them to Mauritius had to be abandoned when another freighter, the Pantanal, ran aground and was holed during a storm at Rossaveal.