Research ship topples over in dry dock

R/V Petrel, a 76.5m x 15m vessel that was bought and retrofitted in 2016 by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, pitched over and remained leaning over at a 45^o angle at Leith dry dock in Edinburgh, Scotland on Wednesday morning. 

Thirty-three people were injured, with 21 taken to hospital and the rest treated and discharged at the scene, according to the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Reasons for the keel-over of the 76m-high boat have not yet been ascertained, although SNP Councillor for Leith Adam McVey attributed the incident to strong winds.

“Emergency services are responding to a major incident at Leith docks – a ship has been dislodged from its holding in strong winds. Terrifying for those on board, my thoughts are with those who’ve been injured,” he said.

R/V Petrus, which has a Remus AUV on board that can dive to 6,000 metres and an Argus ROV, was built in 2003. The vessel has a distinguished history of World War II shipwreck discoveries, sparked by Paul Allen’s emotions about the war because of his father, who returned unharmed from Europe.

“For thousands of other families this unfortunately was not the case,” Allen wrote on his website. “In documenting the final resting place of so many service members, all of us involved want to keep alive the memory of their dedication, heroism and self-sacrifice.”

The list of wrecks discovered includes the USS Indianapolis, which was lost after delivering components for one of the two nuclear bombs that were later dropped on Japan.

According to Allen, she sank after being torpedoed by a Japanese submarine and of 896 sailors and marines who initially survived the attack, only 316 were ultimately able to survive the dehydration, shark attacks and exposure following that.

The Indianapolis remains in US Navy custody in a secret location. 

The US Navy bought R/V Petrus in September 2022 for a reported fee of $12.4 million (€11.4 million), according to media reports.