Canary Islands Ferry Smashes Into Wall: Video

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A video shows the moment a ferry with 140 passengers on board crashes into a harbor wall.

On Friday, the Volcan de Tamasite smashed into the harbor wall in Puerto de La Luz in Las Palmas, one of Spain’s Canary Islands, following a mechanical failure.

Mirror reports:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXlRPlM-dvU

Thirteen people were injured in the incident last night as the ship left the port of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands, heading for Tenerife.

The Naviera Armas ferry suffered electrical failure minutes after departure and the crew tried to return but were unable to control its path.

The video shows how it lurches from side to side and heads straight for the harbour wall in Puerto de La Luz.

The ship smashes into the concrete with great force and destroys two vehicles parked alongside.

It narrowly misses other cars which had just driven down the port road.

Experts said it was a miracle that no-one was killed in the freak accident last night at about 10pm in the Gran Canaria capital.

Thirteen passengers were injured, 12 of them slightly, but one had to be taken to hospital.

The others were treated at the scene or at medical centres.

The Canary Government declared a state of emergency at 1.30am this morning because of a three kilometre long fluid spill into the ocean.

Around 140 people were on board the “Volcán de Tamasite”, popular with tourists of all nationalities, including British families.

Passengers have reported “scenes of panic” on board the ferry. Those injured were hurt through falls or had suffered anxiety attacks.

Many said they heard a “loud crash” and saw lots of people fall on the floor.

All the passengers were taken off the ferry and put up for the night in hotels or other accommodation until they could be shipped back to Tenerife.

The collision caused serious damage at the port, the Nelson Mandela, with huge blocks of concrete crashing on to the harbour access road.

At one stage, the water supply to thousands of homes had to be cut off as a precaution.

The ferry has been towed by two tugs back to its original berth in Las Palmas.

The Tamasite Volcano can carry a maximum of 1,500 people and 300 cars. Damage is now being assessed.

The incident follows a ferry smash in the Irish Sea in February that was also captured on camera.

The huge vessel smashes into a pier due to high winds with shocked onlookers describing the scene as ‘carnage’.

The video shows the flagship vessel of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company smashing into the dock at Douglas Harbour after sailing from Birkenhead, reported the Liverpool Echo.

The footage captured by passenger Jason Cheetham shows the vessel crashing into the structure as it came in to berth at the King Edward VIII pier last night.

It destroyed the barrier and causing water to gush onto the surface of a nearby vehicle area.

The Ben-my-Chree set off from Wirral’s Twelve Quays terminal shortly before 2pm yesterday, and was due to arrive in Douglas at 6.10pm for its onward journey to Heysham.

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