Multiple People Taken To Hospital After Major Incident Declared

Specialist lawyers have expressed their concern after more than 20 people were reportedly taken to hospital after a ship tipped over at Imperial Dock in Leith.

The vessel was in dry dock when it dislodged, leading to patients being taken to local hospitals. Ten people were treated and discharged at the scene, while the BBC reports that one person is undergoing surgery at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

People have been asked not to attend A&E at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh unless in an emergency. 

The vessel, Petrel, owned by the US Navy has been in long-term moorage since 2020 and has not been used since.

Irwin Mitchell has supported people affected by major incidents from across the world, including the Zeebrugge ferry disaster; Marchioness riverboat disaster and more recently, those caught up in the sinking of the Costa Concordia. In Scotland the team represented people affected by the Clutha helicopter crash in Glasgow and the Edinburgh legionnaires disease outbreak.

Expert Opinion

“It’s deeply concerning to hear that so many people have been seriously injured in this incident and our thoughts are with them and their families at this difficult time.

“Major incidents such as this are always a worry and once the multi-agency response has concluded, the authorities will doubtless initiate their own inquiries into what has gone so badly wrong. In situations like this, which involve various parties, such as the shipowner, the occupier of the premises and the employers of those injured, it can be challenging to establish exactly what happened and who is responsible.

“Right now, everyone’s thoughts are with those who have been affected by this incident but it’s vital that an investigation establishes the facts around this incident to ensure that lessons are learned to help prevent something similar from happening in the future.” David Bell, an expert serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell Scotland