Varagen ferry carrying 41 passengers ran aground due to 'technical failure', Orkney Council says

The Varagen grounding incident was due to a “technical failure”, Orkney council has said.

Three investigations into the grounding of the Orkney Ferries vessel Varagen have now wrapped up.

Orkney Council has said the incident was down to an “isolated technical failure.”

The Varagen ran aground 100m off Rapness pier, Westray, on the evening of Friday, November 11.

Forty-one passengers and ten crew were on board at the time, with no injuries recorded.

There was no water ingress within the Varagen or pollution outwith and the vessel was re-floated and berthed at Rapness.

Passengers were allowed to disembark before the 33-year-old ferry was tug-escorted back to Kirkwall in the early hours of Saturday, November 12.

Following the incident, internal investigations were undertaken by both Orkney Harbours and Orkney Ferries – which is operated by Orkney council.

A spokeswoman for the council said: “All investigations have concluded.

“They have shown that an isolated technical failure led to the incident.”

The ferry was back in service not long after the incident, around November 19.

The spokeswoman also said that the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) would not be taking their investigation into the Varagen’s grounding any further.

Approached for comment, the MAIB confirmed this.

An MAIB spokeswoman said: “The MAIB was notified of the incident and Inspectors from the Branch made inquiries and conducted a Preliminary Assessment.

“As positive steps to prevent reoccurrence have been taken, the branch will not be conducting an investigation.”